The National Weather Service has continued the Coastal Flood Watch for the Borough of Stone Harbor and surrounding communities. The Watch is in effect from Saturday, January 23rd at 4:00am until Sunday, January 24th at 12 Noon. This Watch is associated with a major winter storm that will have significant impacts on the eastern seaboard of the United States, including coastal areas of New Jersey. The Watch includes the potential for widespread moderate coastal flooding and the potential for localized areas of major coastal flooding. There will be very strong winds associated with this storm with sustained winds at 45mph with gusts that can possibly exceed 55mph. There are even stronger wind gusts possible during this storm event which could result in downed trees and loss of power and other utilities.
The Stone Harbor Office of Emergency Management will participate in a meeting with the Cape May County Office of Emergency Management this afternoon. We expect further updates and advisories throughout the day, into this evening, and during the storm event. The inclement weather will begin Friday evening and last through Sunday morning.
It is very important to be aware of the upcoming high tides, especially on Saturday and Sunday as we expect coastal flooding in Stone Harbor. High tide on Saturday will occur at 7:17am, and again at 7:43pm. High tide occurs on Sunday at 8:00am, and again at 8:27pm. Please begin to take necessary precautions. Objects like patio furniture and trash cans that are subject to high winds should be secured or brought inside. If you live on a street that typically receives flooding during coastal storms, make plans to move your vehicle to another location. During the storm event, never attempt to drive on any flooded street or through any flooded intersection. This puts you, your vehicle, and emergency personnel in harm’s way. Driving on a flooded street can also create a small wake that can cause property damage to businesses and residential properties. The Townsend’s Inlet Bridge remains closed through this storm event for repairs to the bridge and the roadway.
Power outages are possible during this storm event due to the strong winds. If you experience a power outage, do not assume someone else has called in the outage. Call the Atlantic City Electric outage number at 1-800-833-7476. You may also visit opens in a new window Atlantic City Electric website to the view the current outage map for their service area. If you have any emergency, please dial 911.
We expect further updates to the weather forecast from the National Weather Service throughout the day, and during this storm event. The current forecast is posted below:
