Snowstorm NJ: A new storm is barreling toward the Jersey Shore, with risks of floods
As one storm departs New Jersey, another more powerful one is barreling toward the state.
The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for Monmouth and Ocean counties with an elevated risk of flash floods from a storm expected to arrive on Tuesday, bringing upwards of 4 inches of rain and gusty winds along the coast of up to 60 mph.
The forecast includes both a flood watch and a high wind watch from a looming storm that is expected to stretch along the eastern U.S. seaboard. It calls for rain to begin at the Jersey Shore about 1 p.m. Tuesday and gain intensity with 1 inch to 2 inches falling overnight. Rain could continue on Wednesday and remain heavy until 2 p.m.
The forecast also includes winds from the south at 35 mph to 45 mph with heavier gusts that could down trees and power lines Tuesday evening and night.
The temperatures are expected to be in the 50s, so the Jersey Shore's dry spell — at least when it comes to snow — is likely to continue. The region hasn't had a measurable snowfall since March 7, 2023, when the weather service reported an inch of snow in Freehold and Marlboro.
"It was really along the Turnpike between nothing and something," Ray Martin, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, said of the weekend storm on Sunday.
The storms, however, could be the latest to cause damage at the Shore. The Shore has been hit in recent months with storms that: flooded Wesley Lake in Asbury Park; damaged the new Ocean Grove pier; eroded dunes in towns such as Ortley Beach and Harvey Cedars; and, to the delight of surfers, generated massive, 20-foot waves.
The latest forecast barely gives the Shore a chance to dry out from a weekend storm that left the region with winds gusting to 45 mph, up to an inch of rain and minor coastal flooding. But temperatures were well above the freezing mark, and they are expected to remain that way.
The National Weather Service issued a coastal flood advisory for Ocean County until 7 p.m. Sunday. High tide had passed without the threat of additional coastal flooding, but the threat of flooding from the bay remained until early in the evening.
That storm traveled up the coast from southeast, but stayed more inland than usual, dumping 6 to 10 inches of snow in Bergen, Passaic and Sussex counties.
It appeared to be relatively minor in Monmouth and Ocean counties, but still left a mark.
Jersey Central Power & Light on Sunday morning reported outages that affected 1,436 customers in Ocean County and 341 customers in Monmouth County. But it appeared that power was largely restored quickly. By 10:15 a.m., the utility reported outages that affected seven customers in Ocean County and 43 in Monmouth County.
Elsewhere, Newark Liberty International Airport as of 2:30 p.m. had 77 cancelations — 43 arrivals and 34 departures — and 38 delays. Philadelphia International Airport had 10 cancelations — eight arrivals and two departures — and 127 delays, according to FlightAware, which follows flight traffic.
Snowfall totals:
Edison: 1 inch
Newark: 1 inch
Parsippany: 4 inches
Hackettstown: 6 inches
Sussex: 8 inches
Rainfall totals:
Jackson: 0.7 inches
Belmar-Farmingdale: 0.7 inches
Matawan: 1.2 inches
Point Pleasant: 1.3 inches
Neptune: 1.4 inches
Eatontown: 1.4 inches
Toms River: 1.6 inches
Michael L. Diamond is a business reporter who has been writing about the New Jersey economy and health care industry for more than 20 years. He can be reached at mdiamond@gannettnj.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: NJ weather: Jersey Shore escapes snow, but new storm is coming Tuesday
