Record snow, flood warnings as storm hits Northeast

Mario Tama / Getty Images Snow blows darkened streetlights in the Rockaway neighborhood of Queens on Wednesday. By Ian Johnston, NBC News A winter storm battered the Northeast coast Thursday after cutting power to at least 115,000 homes and dumping record snowfalls in the New York City area. The National Weather Service warned of wind gusts as high as 60 mph along the coast, "minor to moderate" flooding from storm surges, and more snow, particularly in New England, early Thursday. More than 600,000 people were without electricity as a result of superstorm Sandy and the new storm. NBCNewYork.com reported that more than 198,000 Long Island Power Authority customers, 55,000 Con Edison customers in New York City and Westchester County, 197,560 Jersey Central Power & Light customers, and 9,000 Atlantic City Electric customers had no power.  And Public Service Electric & Gas said early Thursday that it now had 160,000 customers without power, having restored services to 70,000 affected by Sandy since Wednesday morning and 50,000 affected by the new storm. The new storm was blamed for at least 115,000 outages, including some 60,000 customers who had only just got their power back, NBCNewYork.com said. One local resident refuses to be driven out by the latest storm, a combo of snow and rain that is threatening areas already ravaged by Hurricane Sandy. NBC's Stephanie Gosk reports. In a notice posted at 3:13 a.m. ET on Thursday, the National Weather Service said a coastal flood warning was in effect until 8 a.m. ET for parts of New Jersey, Delaware and along Delaware Bay. Are you left in the lurch after Sandy? It added that moderate flooding was also expected around the time of high tide Thursday night. "Wave heights in the surf zone along the coast are expected in the 6-to-10-foot range. Wave heights on Delaware Bay should be in the 2-to-6-foot range," the NWS notice said. Residents across the Northeast pick up the pieces after Superstorm Sandy killed more than 100 people in 10 states and left a trail of destruction. "Numerous roadways will flood and additional minor to moderate property damage is possible. The elevated tides will have a negative impact on recovery efforts. The tides and the wave action will result in additional moderate to major beach erosion," it added. PhotoBlog: Snow adds to Sandy misery Storm not 'in a hurry' The NWS forecast that the storm was expected to bring "rain and snow along with gusty winds" to coastal areas of the Northeast in a notice that was valid until Saturday. "The snow should have moved off the mid-Atlantic coast on Thursday morning, but should continue in interior New England. The low is not expected to move out of the region in a hurry and coastal New England should see rain changing to snow before tapering off in the latter half of Thursday," it added. Airlines cancel flights ahead of nor'easter Record snowfalls were recorded in the New York City area for November 7, the NWS said; in some places it was the first time snow had ever fallen on that date. New York's Central Park saw 2.8 inches, which the NWS said beat the previous record of 0.1 inches in 1878. Full NBC coverage of Sandy's aftermath A record snowfall of 2 inches was set at Newark, N.J., breaking the old record of a trace amount set in 1981. And Bridgeport, Conn., received 3.5 inches of snow, beating the record of 2 inches set in 1953. 'Sequel to a horror movie' Throughout the Tri-state area, people wore coats indoors as they endured yet another night without heat. Some of those who had weathered Sandy told NBCNewYork.com on Wednesday they were petrified. "It's like a sequel to a horror movie," said James Alexander, a resident of the hard-hit Rockaway Peninsula. "Here we are, nine days later — freezing, no electricity, no nothing, waiting for another storm." Storm could bring more cold temperatures, rain and coastal flooding to the already battered area. The Weather Channel's Jim Cantore reports. Alexander's home was spared when Sandy hit, but homes around him burned to the ground, and the boardwalk near his home was washed out to sea. "They said it would be a rough winter," he noted to NBC New York. Official: NY disaster chief fired over tree removal In Toms River, N.J., residents of nearby barrier island communities lashed out at the city council because they had not been allowed to return to their homes since before Sandy hit. Speaking at a city council meeting, one resident said: "These people need to understand it's our island, it's our home, and we need to defend it like it's a castle." NBCNewYork.com contributed to this report. More content from NBCNews.com: 1 in 31 no more: Gay rights movement ends dismal record Governor to potheads: 'Don't break out the Cheetos' Report: Dad says he put poison on dead son's pizza Zoo officials: Toddler's death in Pittsburgh shows no zoo is 100 percent safe Nor'easter threatens 'flying debris,' up to foot of snow in Sandy's wake Post Superstorm Sandy, travelers prepare for a busy Thanksgiving Follow US news from NBCNews.com on Twitter and Facebook