Community Corner

Coastal Flood Watch In Effect for Wednesday Nor'easter

Sea Bright and other towns prepare for flooding; 60 m.p.h. wind gusts, 16-foot seas offshore possible in strong nor'easter

A few days into the month, March will come in like a lion at the Jersey Shore, where a nor'easter is forecast to spur flooding, high winds and extremely rough surf.

The National Weather Service in Mount Holly has issued a coastal flood watch that remains in effect for the entire shore area, as well as a storm watch and small craft advisory for offshore waters.

The storm is forecast to begin as a rain event in coastal areas after 8 a.m. Wednesday and continue through late Thursday, with the potential for the precipitation to turn to snow.

Find out what's happening in Rumson-Fair Havenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Forecast models are largely unsure of the rain-snow line for the storm.

But the big story in the shore area, already weakened by Hurricane Sandy, will be the potential for "moderate" coastal flooding, prompting the NWS to issue a coastal flood watch.

Find out what's happening in Rumson-Fair Havenwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

The great potential for flooding will come at the Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning high tides.

The storm will also bring the potential for strong winds, NWS said in an advisory issued Tuesday morning. The nor'easter could pack gusts of up to 60 m.p.h. with sustained winds near 40 m.p.h. in coastal areas.

Offshore, a storm watch has been issued that carries a prediction of wave height between 10 to 15 feet Wednesday and 11 to 16 feet Wednesday night. Wave heights at local beaches will range from 7 to 15 feet, the forecast said.


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