Storm gains power, bringing dangerous winds, coastal flooding to Jersey Shore

12:45 a.m. Some Middletown roads impassable due to flooding and downed trees

Leonardville Road is closed at Nautilus Drive in the Leonardo section of the township due to flooding, according to the Middletown Police Department.

Elsewhere in town, Navesink River Road has one lane closed between McClees Road and Club Way due to downed trees. The current situation is not likely to change until sometime later today, police said.

12:20 a.m. Without power: About 7% of Monmouth and about 5% of Ocean

The number of homes and businesses without power in Monmouth and Ocean counties has spiked in the past couple hours as the storm has intensified.

In Monmouth County, there are now 20,801 customers or about 7% of all Jersey Central Power & Light customers who are without power. A customer represents one home, business or other entity.

In Ocean County, there are now 11,637 customers or just under 5% of all JCP&L customers who are without power.

In southern Ocean County (including all of Long Beach Island), where Atlantic City Electric provides the power, there are now 388 customers without it — which is still under 1% of their total customer base in the county.

11:50 p.m. Manchester is in the dark

There are “extensive power outages” in Manchester with no estimate for when electricity will be restored, according to police.

The Manchester Township Police Department asks residents to remain indoors and to stay off the roads.

11:28 p.m. Section of Route 36 closed in Middletown due to flooding

Route 36 North in Middletown is closed at Leonard Avenue due to flooding, according to police.

The Middletown Police Department asks motorists to avoid the area.

11:15 p.m. Flooding in Bay Head

Osborne Avenue is closed in Bay Head due to flooding, according to the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office. Avoid the area.

10:55 p.m. Wires down in South Toms River

The Ocean County Sheriff’s Office reports that South Main Street from Dover Road to Mill Street, in South Toms River, is closed due to a tree and wires being down.

10:45 p.m. Electrical outages along the Shore

Power outages are reported throughout Monmouth and Ocean counties

Jersey Central Power & Light reports that 4,901 customers are without electricity in Monmouth County and 1,639 customers in Ocean County.

Atlantic City Electric, which serves southern Ocean County (including all of Long Beach Island) reports that 196 of their customers are without power.

JCP&L serves a total of 290,714 customers in Monmouth and 256,814 customers in Ocean. Therefore, the outages represented 1.69% of customers in Monmouth and less than 1% of their customers in Ocean.

Atlantic City Electric has a total of 53,507 customers in Ocean, with the outage representing less than 1% of their customers there.

10:15 p.m. Up to 2 feet of flooding possible in flood-prone areas at the Shore

The National Weather Service has issued a coastal flood warning for Ocean County until 3 p.m. Wednesday.

One to two feet of water above ground level in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways is possible, according to the weather service.

At this level, widespread roadway flooding may occur in coastal and bayside communities, and along inland tidal waterways. Many roads could become impassable. Some damage to vulnerable structures may begin to occur, the weather service said in its alert late Tuesday night.

The highest water levels are expected across the back bays later Wednesday morning into early afternoon, which will be delayed later than high tide on the oceanside Wednesday.

In Monmouth and Middlesex counties, a coastal flood advisory is in effect until 12 p.m. Wednesday — with the same threatening conditions possible. Some partial or full road closures may be necessary, the weather service warned.

9:35 p.m. Monmouth and Ocean counties under flood warning

A flood warning is in effect for Monmouth and Ocean counties until 3:30 a.m. Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.

The warning includes both counties, in addition to Atlantic and Burlington counties, with 1-to-2 inches of additional rain possible over the next six hours. Rivers, creeks, streams and other flood prone areas are all at risk of being inundated.

At 9:23 p.m., Doppler radar indicated heavy rain over the region. Flooding is ongoing or expected to begin shortly in the warned area, according to the weather service.

Between 1 and 1½ inches of rain have already fallen.

Flooding near the coast will be exacerbated by a buildup of water due to a strong onshore flow, according to the warning.

The weather service singled out Toms River, Vineland, Atlantic City, Long Branch, AsburyPark, Sandy Hook, Lakewood, Jackson, Howell, Barnegat and Pleasantville as major population centers of concern.

9:05 p.m. Flooding reported in Bay Head

The Ocean County Sheriff’s Office is advising motorists that there is flooding on Bridge Avenue in Bay Head, from Main Avenue to Bay Avenue.

Motorists are again being warned not to drive on roads that are covered with water.

8:15 p.m. Point Pleasant Police advise residents to move vehicles to higher ground; Ocean Gate Police warn against driving on flooded roads

Point Pleasant Police are asking local residents to consider moving their motor vehicles to higher ground if they live in flood prone areas.

Elsewhere, Ocean Gate Police are warning motorists not to drive on flooded roadways and are asking local residents not to put their recycling bins out overnight.

7:52 p.m. Garden State Parkway crash causing delays in southbound lanes north of Toms River

A motor vehicle accident on the Garden State Parkway is causing traffic delays in the southbound lanes near mile marker 87, according to the Ocean County Sheriff’s Office.

It was not immediately clear what caused the crash or whether there are any injuries.

7:10 p.m. Delays at area airports and regional service disruptions on Amtrak reported; most NJ Transit trains running on time

Amtrak has canceled some of its Acela and Northeast Regional trains, while NJ Transit’s North Jersey Coast Line is currently reported to be running on time.

Amtrak has announced the following service disruptions:

Acela:

• 2122 is canceled in its entirety.

• 2124 is canceled in its entirety.

• 2172 is canceled between New York and Boston.

• 2173 is canceled between New York and Washington.

Northeast Regional:

• 136 is canceled in its entirety.

• 179 is canceled in its entirety.

• 186 is canceled in its entirety.

• 67 is canceled in its entirety.

• 178 is canceled between New York and Boston.

• 177 is canceled between New York and Washington.

• 66 is canceled between Washington and Boston.

• 125 is canceled between Richmond and Newport News.

• 85 is canceled between Washington and Richmond.

At major airports in the Tri-State Area, flight arrivals at Newark Liberty International Airport were averaging a 5-minute delay, while departures were averaging a 30-minute delay, according to the flight tracker Flightradar24 website and app, which monitors worldwide air traffic.

Philadelphia International was also averaging a 5-minute delay for arrivals and a 26-minute delay on departures.

John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York was averaging also a 5-minute delay on arrivals and a 34-minute delay on departures.

LaGuardia Airport in New York was experiencing the most disruption with an average 36-minute delay for arrivals and 38-minutes for departures.

Atlantic City International only has two flights scheduled to depart tonight — one to Fort Lauderdale, which was canceled and one to Orlando, which has been delayed more than 90 minutes. An arriving flight from Tampa was also canceled. All of the flights in and out of Atlantic City were on Spirit Airlines.

5:15 p.m. Middletown officials warn of potential local flooding, tell residents to prepare

Middletown has canceled all township-sponsored events this evening ahead of a storm that could produce local flooding, according to municipal officials.

The Middletown Township Public Library and Middletown Arts Center is also closed now, effective at 5 p.m. today. All after-school activities in the Middletown school district, including athletics and building rentals, are also canceled.

North Zone recycling collection is still scheduled for tomorrow. However, the township recommends placing individual bins at the curb by 6 a.m. so they do not get blown away overnight.

The township anticipates that the amount of precipitation through Wednesday afternoon will be 1-to-3 inches – with 4 inches possible in some areas of town, municipal officials said.

During this time, township authorities are expecting strong to damaging south to southeast winds with coastal areas receiving as much as 55-to-65 mph gusts, according to township officials.

In preparation for the inclement weather, the state Department of Environmental Protection has placed the Port Monmouth facility in “operational Mode” as of 10:45 p.m. Monday. This operation will allow the gates to automatically open and close based on the tides while ensuring the interior drainage basin does not exceed a certain elevation.

The township’s emergency operations team met this morning to discuss the storm's path and preparation tactics. Middletown Police, Fire, Emergency Medical Services, and Office of Emergency Management departments will be fully staffed and prepared for any type of emergency that may occur into the overnight and morning hours, according to officials.

Crews from the municipal Department of Public Works will be on duty tending to storm-related issues, according to officials.

The township may close some roads due to flooding, officials said.

Motorists are instructed not to drive their vehicle through flood waters as such water may be deeper than it appears.

Residents who live in an area that is prone to flooding are advised to move their vehicles to higher ground tonight. If necessary, residents may park their vehicles at the Middletown train station parking lots.

The Middletown Office of Emergency Management also recommends securing any loose items on their property.

4:55 p.m. Asbury Park cancels recycling pickup

Due to the storm and high winds, Asbury Park has suspended its recycling pickup for Wednesday. Recycling will resume on the next normal scheduled pickup date. City officials are asking residents not to put out their bins this evening.

3:21 p.m. JCP&L storm preparations

Jersey Central Power & Light — the electric utility company serving over one million residents in northern and central New Jersey — is preparing for Tuesday and Wednesday's weather. The company has requested more than 850 additional personnel, including 150 line crews and more than 200 additional support personnel, such as forestry, hazard response, etc.

Here are some other actions they're taking:

• Implementing 16-hour shifts for storm personnel with around-the-clock coverage.

• Staffing additional internal operators, damage assessors and analysts at distribution control centers to assist with high volumes of outage calls.

• Notifying contractors to be ready to assist with restoration efforts.

• Securing additional line, substation and forestry personnel.

• Contacting emergency management officials, state officials, regulators and local officials about the company's storm preparation efforts.

"After a major weather event, hundreds or even thousands of damage locations, including broken poles and downed power lines, are common," the company said. "FirstEnergy personnel prioritize clearing hazards like downed power lines, trees and blocked roads to ensure public safety. Employees must also assess the damage to enable line crews to access outage sites and initiate safe repairs. The formal restoration process focuses on addressing widespread outages first, before tackling more isolated issues."

Sustained winds over 40 mph and heavy rain could slow restorations efforts, they said, as crews cannot safely operate bucket trucks in these conditions. Saturated soil and flooding can also hinder access and create hazardous conditions for crews as they work to make repairs to lines and equipment damaged by fallen trees and branches.

1:32 p.m. Asbury Park suspends parking regulations

All metered parking and alternate side parking regulations have been suspended within the city of Asbury Park until 9 a.m. Thursday, authorities said. Parking will be free on all streets and all alternate side regulations can be disregarded for Tuesday and Wednesday.

1:11 p.m. School and business closures due to weather

• Toms River Regional: all afterschool activities have been canceled due to "the impending weather and the governor's designation of a state of emergency," according to the district's website.

• The Monmouth County SPCA will close at 4 p.m. today, their website said, due to the incoming weather.

• Freehold Regional High School district has canceled all after school activities and RAISE Academy due to the impending storm. The 8th Grade Orientation at Manalapan High School will be postponed to Tuesday, January 16, 2024, at 6:30 PM.

• Neptune Township schools have canceled after school activities. Champions Aftercare ends at 4:30.

• Ocean County College will close at 3:30 p.m., their website said. All in-person activities and classes scheduled after 3:30 today are cancelled at the Main Campus in Toms River and the Southern Education Center in Manahawkin.

• Brick Township after school activities are canceled.

• The Marine Academy of Science and Technology at Sandy Hook will delay it's opening to 9:00 a.m. Wednesday, due to concerns of coastal flooding, the academy said. "This will only affect MAST. All other programs and schools are expected to operate on a regular schedule."

• Holmdel - all evening school district events have been canceled, and all afterschool activities will conclude no later than 4:30 PM. The Primetime aftercare programs will remain open until 6:00 PM.

• Donovan Catholic - all after-school activities/meetings are canceled today, Tuesday, January 9. This includes practices or games at another location.

• Middletown North - afterschool activities including athletics and building rentals are canceled for today, Tuesday, Jan. 9, due to the impending inclement weather.

• Middletown South - afterschool activities including athletics and building rentals are canceled for today, Tuesday, Jan. 9, due to the impending inclement weather.

• Trinity Hall - Due to impending weather conditions, all after-school activities are canceled for this afternoon

• Saint Rose - all after school activities/sports are canceled

• Lacey Township - all after school activities, including all athletic competitions, have been cancelled. Champions Before/After Care staff has requested that parents pick up children by 5:00 pm.

• Keansburg - due to the weather forecast all athletic activities are canceled, including practices, and any afterschool clubs or activities, including Champions, will close at 5 PM.

• Barnegat schools - after school activities are canceled.

• Plumsted - all after school events at the Plumsted Twp. School District should not go beyond 4:30 PM.

• Holmdel schools - all evening events are canceled. After-school activities and practices may occur but will conclude by 4:30.  Aftercare will remain open until 6:00

More: Jersey Shore school closings, delayed openings, early closings due to NJ storm warning

11:25 a.m. When will the rain be at its worst?

The rain has started to move in with light showers and will spread across the Shore region within the next few hours, according to the National Weather Service. The worst of the storm will begin around 5 or 6 p.m. and continue through the overnight hours into Wednesday before it clears up around 3 a.m., the service predicts.

10:21 a.m. Coastal flood threat increases

The coastal flood threat has been upgraded to a coastal flood warning in Ocean County, according to the National Weather Service. Minor to moderate coastal flooding is now forecasted for the entire Jersey Shore.

9:40 a.m. What does 'state of emergency' mean?

Gov. Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency ahead of a weather forecast for heavy rain, strong wind gusts and the potential for flooding later today, but what does that mean?

It’s a legal instrument available to the governor or acting governor in the form of an executive order, to be exercised when he or she believes that a disaster or some other form of public crisis has occurred or may be imminent.

While the declaration might sound as a clarion call to the public to take heed, its true function is to pierce through the slow-moving, day-to-day bureaucracy of state government and mobilize it into a state of readiness or action.

In this case, the anticipated emergency is the threat of a drenching storm, and the potential danger to lives, property and critical infrastructure that could result overnight throughout the state.

“Beginning (this) morning and continuing through Wednesday morning, we are expecting one to four inches of heavy rain, strong winds, and potential inland and coastal flooding,” Murphy said in a public statement issued Monday. “This storm will exacerbate the effects of the inclement conditions we experienced in December and this past weekend and may precede another storm Friday night. As always, I urge all New Jerseyans — including residents in our coastal and riverine communities — to follow all safety protocols and remain off the roads unless absolutely necessary."

-Erik Larsen

Read the full story here: Gov. Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency: What does that mean?

6:45 a.m. National Weather Service advisory

The National Weather Service issued an advisory Tuesday morning for the Jersey Shore, warning of high winds that could reach 65 mph and significant rain that could cause coastal flooding.

The worst of the storm is expected Tuesday evening.

A Coastal Flood Advisory was issued at 6 a.m. Tuesday for Monmouth and Ocean counties for the high tide cycles through Wednesday morning.

More: Gov. Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency: What does that mean?

The heaviest rain is expected to fall from about 6 p.m. Tuesday to 2 a.m. Wednesday. In all, 1 to 3 inches are expected, with up to 4 inches possible in some areas. Moderate to major river flooding is expected in northern New Jersey.

Strong, possibly damaging winds gusting to 65 mph will hit the Jersey Shore bringing the potential for power outages near coastal areas. A line of heavier showers Tuesday night with the cold front could produce a period of stronger winds.

6:25 a.m. Gov. Murphy declares State of Emergency

Gov. Phil Murphy declared a state of emergency late Monday in advance of a powerful storm predicted to hit New Jersey late Tuesday.

Murphy said that just because the weather system was not forecasted to include snow, it was still expected to be a strong storm. New Jersey residents, the governor said, should take heed of the potential for rain, high winds and flooding.

The state of emergency will go into effect at 5 p.m. on Tuesday.

-Katie Sobko

This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Heavy rains, powerful winds could bring coastal flooding to Jersey Shore