The National Weather Center has posted a Coastal Flood Warning in effect for the Borough of Stone Harbor from now through Friday, October 2nd, at 6:00am. A Coastal Flood Watch has been posted for Avalon from Friday, October 2nd at 6:00am through Sunday, October 4th, at 5:00pm. A High Wind Watch is in effect from Friday, October 2nd at 6:00am through Saturday, October 3rd, at 6:00pm. These warnings and watches are all related to a coastal low pressure system that is visiting our area in advance of Hurricane Joaquin. Hurricane Joaquin has a new forecast path provided by the National Weather Service the as of this morning puts the path of the storm adjacent to the New Jersey coastline, possibly as a tropical storm.

Our region expects to have rain spreading in our area on Thursday continuing Thursday night and through the day and evening hours on Friday. It is possible that we will experience greater than two inches of rain during this storm event. Winds will be gusting to 60mph or greater during the storm. Rain is still probable on Saturday, according to forecasters, before we feel the affects of Hurricane Joaquin. The forecast path for Joaquin has changed frequently over the past 72 hours, and additional changes in its path are possible.

The National Weather Service predicts moderate to major widespread flooding in our area as a result of this coastal low. It is likely the future watches will turn into warnings, possibly later today. The forecast indicates that the worse flooding during this coastal low event could be during time of high tide on Friday and Saturday. Never attempt to drive your vehicle through a flooded intersection or on a flooded street. If you live in an area of town that typically floods, you are advised to move your vehicle to higher ground.

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 that is in effect from Friday morning through Saturday afternoon is posted due to concerns about steady winds out of the northeast at 25-35mph, with gusts approaching 50-60mph. Please secure any objects on your property that are subject to wind including trash cans, patio furniture and other objects. Contractors must secure their active construction sites so debris does not become scattered through the neighborhoods.

Please keep in mind that these winds and coastal storm conditions can provide frequent power interruptions along the New Jersey coastline. Downed trees and debris in the streets is also possible due to the windy conditions. There will be rough surf on the beach and significant beach erosion is possible for the duration of this event.

The new forecast model provided by the National Weather Service for Hurricane Joaquin provides for the storm reaching a Category 4 status more than 1,000 miles away from here in the Bahamas region. The storm is expected to take its turn to the north along the eastern seaboard of the United States on Saturday. The current model shows the storm off the coast of northern North Carolina as a Category 1 storm on Monday and literally adjacent to our southern shore region as a tropical storm on Tuesday, at 2:00am. Please keep in mind this forecast path and intensity has changed with nearly every update from the National Weather Service. It is very important for you to keep track of this storm and check this website and other traditional media outlets for updates on Joaquin.

For updates, please visit www.stoneharboremergency.com and Comcast television customers may tune in to Channel 97 for updates specific to your community. We continue to work with the Cape May County Office of Emergency Management and our state and federal emergency management partners and forecasters to provide you with the most current information regarding these hazardous weather conditions.

Here are the texts of the Coastal Flood Warning and High Wind Watch as provided by the National Weather Service:

Coastal Flood Warning

…MODERATE TO MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING LIKELY BEGINNING TODAY AND
CONTINUING THROUGH THE WEEKEND HIGH TIDE CYCLES…

…COASTAL FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EDT FRIDAY…
…COASTAL FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
SUNDAY AFTERNOON…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOUNT HOLLY HAS ISSUED A COASTAL
FLOOD WARNING…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EDT FRIDAY.

* COASTAL FLOODING…WIDESPREAD MODERATE TO MAJOR 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 TODAY AND AROUND NOON ON FRIDAY. HIGH TIDE ON THE
BACK BAYS OCCURS LATER THAN THE HIGH TIDE ON THE OCEANFRONT.
THE HIGH TIDE CYCLE TONIGHT SHOULD CAUSE HIGH END MINOR TIDAL
FLOODING.

* 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 WARNING MEANS THAT MODERATE OR MAJOR TIDAL
FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. BE PREPARED FOR RISING WATER
LEVELS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.
FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
OFFICIALS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOOD WATERS. THE WATER MAY BE
DEEPER THAN YOU THINK IT IS. YOU WILL BE PUTTING YOURSELF IN
DANGER AND YOUR VEHICLE MAY BE DAMAGED…LEADING TO COSTLY
REPAIRS.

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 NEAR 7.0 FEET MLLW
(OCEANFRONT) 1125 AM FRI AROUND 7.5 FEET MLLW

CAPE MAY… NJ 1105 AM THU NEAR 8.0 FEET MLLW
(OCEANFRONT) 1159 AM FRI AROUND 8.5 FEET MLLW

LEWES… DE 1146 AM THU 7.0 TO 7.5 FEET MLLW
(DELAWARE BAY) 1240 PM FRI AROUND 8.0 FEET MLLW

REHOBOTH BEACH… DE 1051 AM THU 7.0 TO 7.5 FEET MLLW
(OCEANFRONT) 1144 AM FRI AROUND 8.0 FEET MLLW

HIGH TIDE ON THE BACK BAYS…ALONG THE DELAWARE BAY…AND ALONG
THE RARITAN BAY OCCURS LATER THAN THE HIGH TIDE ON THE OCEANFRONT
Coastal Flood Watch
COASTAL HAZARD MESSAGE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
452 AM EDT THU OCT 1 2015

…MODERATE TO MAJOR COASTAL FLOODING LIKELY BEGINNING TODAY AND
CONTINUING THROUGH THE WEEKEND HIGH TIDE CYCLES…

…COASTAL FLOOD WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EDT FRIDAY…
…COASTAL FLOOD WATCH NOW IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
SUNDAY AFTERNOON…

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN MOUNT HOLLY HAS ISSUED A COASTAL
FLOOD WARNING…WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EDT FRIDAY.

* COASTAL FLOODING…WIDESPREAD MODERATE TO MAJOR 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 TODAY AND AROUND NOON ON FRIDAY. HIGH TIDE ON THE
BACK BAYS OCCURS LATER THAN THE HIGH TIDE ON THE OCEANFRONT.
THE HIGH TIDE CYCLE TONIGHT SHOULD CAUSE HIGH END MINOR TIDAL
FLOODING.

* 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 WARNING MEANS THAT MODERATE OR MAJOR TIDAL
FLOODING IS OCCURRING OR IMMINENT. BE PREPARED FOR RISING WATER
LEVELS AND TAKE APPROPRIATE ACTION TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY.
FOLLOW THE RECOMMENDATIONS OF LOCAL EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT
OFFICIALS.

DO NOT DRIVE YOUR VEHICLE THROUGH FLOOD WATERS. THE WATER MAY BE
DEEPER THAN YOU THINK IT IS. YOU WILL BE PUTTING YOURSELF IN
DANGER AND YOUR VEHICLE MAY BE DAMAGED…LEADING TO COSTLY
REPAIRS.

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 NEAR 7.0 FEET MLLW
(OCEANFRONT) 1125 AM FRI AROUND 7.5 FEET MLLW

CAPE MAY… NJ 1105 AM THU NEAR 8.0 FEET MLLW
(OCEANFRONT) 1159 AM FRI AROUND 8.5 FEET MLLW

LEWES… DE 1146 AM THU 7.0 TO 7.5 FEET MLLW
(DELAWARE BAY) 1240 PM FRI AROUND 8.0 FEET MLLW

REHOBOTH BEACH… DE 1051 AM THU 7.0 TO 7.5 FEET MLLW
(OCEANFRONT) 1144 AM FRI AROUND 8.0 FEET MLLW

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
414 AM EDT THU OCT 1 2015

…HIGH WIND WATCH REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM FRIDAY MORNING THROUGH
SATURDAY AFTERNOON…

* LOCATIONS…THE NEAREST COUPLE OF MILES ADJACENT THE ATLANTIC
OCEAN IN NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE.

* WINDS…NORTHEAST 25 TO 35 MPH FRIDAY AND SATURDAY WITH
SCATTERED GUSTS OF 55 TO 60 MPH.

* TIMING…WIND GUSTS SHOULD INCREASE IN INTENSITY AS FRIDAY
CONTINUES PEAKING LATER IN THE AFTERNOON AND NIGHT BEFORE
DECREASING SLIGHTLY ON SATURDAY.

* 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 SIGNIFICANTLY LESS SAFE IF GUSTS
REACH OR EXCEED 55 MPH.

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.