The National Weather Service has issued the first weather watches associated with the low pressure system that will bring wind, rain, and the potential for coastal flooding in advance of the effects of Hurricane Joaquin. A Coastal Flood Watch is in effect from Thursday morning through Saturday afternoon, while a High Wind Watch is in effect from Friday morning through Saturday afternoon.
A low pressure system that is near the Jersey Shore is expected to bring occasional rain, gusty winds, and coastal flooding to our region through Saturday in advance of Hurricane Joaquin. The potential exists for moderate to major coastal flooding through Saturday. Coastal flooding typically occurs a few hours around the hours of high tide. During periods of high tide for the next three days, you are advised to be aware of the potential for street and road flooding. Never attempt to drive through any flooded intersection or any flooded street as it puts yourself and emergency responders in danger.
High tide at the Townsend’s Inlet Bridge between Avalon and Sea Isle City will occur on Thursday at 11:05am and again at 11:34pm; high tide on Friday at the bridge will occur at 12 Noon; high tide Saturday at the bridge will occur at 12:32am and again at 12:58pm. Please continue to monitor this website for updates for the potential of minor to moderate coastal flooding.
The High Wind Watch will result in northeasterly winds along our coastal communities at 25-35mph with gusts potentially as high as 60mph on Friday and Saturday. Please secure any outdoor objects that may be subject to high winds including lawn and patio furniture, trash cans, and the like. Contractors should make necessary arrangements to secure their active work sites that would be subject to high winds. The winds combined with high tides are expected to cause rough surf and beach erosion. Please exercise extreme caution on the beach for the next few to several days.
The projected path for Hurricane Joaquin continues to be adjusted by forecasters. The current forecast for the hurricane calls for a strengthening of the storm before it tracks northerly along the eastern seaboard. It is still unclear if the storm will make landfall, but many computer models predict a Category 1 hurricane or a strong tropical storm making landfall north of the Carolinas and south of northern New England. Regardless, the East Coast is projected to feel the impacts of this storm directly, or indirectly.
Please continue to monitor forecasts from area media outlets. Heed all advisories and warnings issued by your emergency management team, and by the National Weather Service. If you have any emergency, please dial 911. There is the potential for significant weather issues in our region over the next five days. We continue to monitor this storm, and continue to work with our local, county, and state emergency management partners and forecasters to provide you with the most accurate, timely information.
Here are the texts of the Coastal Flood Watch and the High Wind Watch as provided by the National Weather Service:
…COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON…
…HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK IS CANCELLED…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOUNT HOLLY HAS ISSUED A COASTAL
FLOOD WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM THURSDAY MORNING THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON. THE HIGH RIP CURRENT RISK HAS BEEN CANCELLED.
* RIP CURRENTS…THE HIGH RISK FOR DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS HAS BEEN
CANCELLED. HOWEVER, CONDITIONS ALONG THE COAST REMAIN DANGEROUS.
EXERCISE CAUTION IF IN OR NEAR THE OCEAN THROUGH THIS WEEKEND.
* COASTAL FLOODING…WIDESPREAD MODERATE TIDAL FLOODING IS
EXPECTED IN MULTIPLE SUCCESSIVE HIGH TIDE CYCLES BEGINNING
MIDDAY THURSDAY AND POSSIBLY LASTING INTO THE WEEKEND FOLLOWING
A RESUMPTION OF STRONG NORTHEAST WINDS, A BUILDING SURGE, AND 8
TO 12 FOOT BREAKING WAVES. MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING IS POSSIBLE
DURING THE HIGH TIDE CYCLES ON FRIDAY AND SATURDAY.
* TIMING…FLOODING MAY OCCUR FOR A FEW HOURS AROUND THE TIME OF
HIGH TIDE. HIGH TIDE OCCURS ALONG THE OCEANFRONT BETWEEN 1030 AM
AND 1200 PM THURSDAY. HIGH TIDE ON THE BACK BAYS OCCURS LATER
THAN THE HIGH TIDE ON THE OCEANFRONT.
* IMPACTS…NUMEROUS ROADWAYS MAY FLOOD AND MINOR TO MODERATE
PROPERTY DAMAGE IS POSSIBLE. THE TIDES AND WAVE ACTION COULD
RESULT IN MODERATE BEACH EROSION.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH MEANS THAT CONDITIONS FAVORABLE FOR THE
DEVELOPMENT OF MODERATE OR MAJOR TIDAL FLOODING.
BE PREPARED TO BEGIN TAKING APPROPRIATE ACTION TO PROTECT LIFE
AND PROPERTY. FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF LOCAL EMERGENCY
MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS. BE SURE TO CHECK THE LATEST FORECAST FROM
TIME TO TIME IN CASE A WARNING IS ISSUED OR ANY NEW INFORMATION
BECOMES AVAILABLE.
FOR A LIST OF THE IMPACT OF DIFFERENT TIDE HEIGHTS IN YOUR COUNTY
PLEASE VISIT WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/PHI/TIDES.HTM (ALL IN LOWER CASE)
LOCATION TIME OF PREDICTED WATER LEVEL
HIGH TIDE
ATLANTIC CITY, NJ 1031 AM THU 6.5 TO 7.0 FEET MLLW
(OCEANFRONT)
CAPE MAY, NJ 1105 AM THU 7.5 TO 8.0 FEET MLLW
(OCEANFRONT)
LEWES, DE 1146 AM THU 7.0 TO 7.5 FEET MLLW
(DELAWARE BAY)
REHOBOTH BEACH, DE 1051 AM THU 7.0 TO 7.5 FEET MLLW
(OCEANFRONT)
HIGH TIDE ON THE BACK BAYS…ALONG THE DELAWARE BAY…AND ALONG
THE RARITAN BAY OCCURS LATER THAN THE HIGH TIDE ON THE OCEANFRONT
High Wind Watch
URGENT – WEATHER MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
444 PM EDT WED SEP 30 2015
DEZ004-NJZ014-024>026-010900-
/O.NEW.KPHI.HW.A.0002.151002T1000Z-151003T2200Z/
DELAWARE BEACHES-EASTERN MONMOUTH-ATLANTIC COASTAL CAPE MAY-
COASTAL ATLANTIC-COASTAL OCEAN-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF…REHOBOTH BEACH…SANDY HOOK…
OCEAN CITY…ATLANTIC CITY…LONG BEACH ISLAND
444 PM EDT WED SEP 30 2015
…HIGH WIND WATCH IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH SATURDAY
AFTERNOON…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOUNT HOLLY HAS ISSUED A HIGH
WIND WATCH…WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON.
* WINDS…NORTHEAST 25 TO 35 MPH WITH SCATTERED GUSTS OF 55 TO 60
MPH POSSIBLE FRIDAY OR SATURDAY.
* TIMING…UNCERTAIN ON WHEN THE STRONGEST GUSTS OCCUR.
* IMPACTS…THIS WOULD GREATLY IMPACT HIGH PROFILE VEHICLE TRAVEL
ON BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES AND POSSIBLY FORCE CANCELLATION OF
SERVICES ALONG THE COASTS. TRAVEL IN PERIODS OF RAIN AND
DRIZZLE WOULD BE DIFFICULT.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A HIGH WIND WATCH MEANS THERE IS THE POTENTIAL FOR A HAZARDOUS
HIGH WIND EVENT. SUSTAINED WINDS OF AT LEAST 40 MPH…OR GUSTS OF
58 MPH OR STRONGER MAY OCCUR. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST
FORECASTS.
