Worst flooding since Sandy hits parts of Shore ahead of dangerous cold, snow
Severe flooding inundated much of the Shore area Friday at levels not seen in some locations since Superstorm Sandy, sending emergency crews scrambling to rescue stranded motorists.
As flood waters subsided, a period of plunging temperatures was poised to create dangerous ice on the roads. People are expected to awaken Christmas Eve to temperatures that feel like minus 10 degrees Fahrenheit with the wind chill, said Alex Staarmann, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly.
Water crested 6:31 a.m. Friday at 8.89 feet at Sandy Hook, the highest level since Superstorm Sandy devastated the beachfront national park in October 2012, although much less severe than Sandy’s 14.4 feet, Staarmann said.
It was enough to prompt school officials to close the Marine Academy of Science and Technology at Sandy Hook Friday.
Staarmann also reported major flood levels in Manasquan, with a peak of 7.37 feet, and Sea Bright, where the water crested at 7.3 feet, both the highest levels since Sandy.
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The peak reached major flood levels in Keansburg at 9.18 feet, only slightly less than the 9.19 feet reached there on Oct. 27, 2018, Staarmann said.
“It looks like three or four gages hit over major flood stage, not record-breaking, but definitely significant flooding, Staarmann said.
Flooding also forced road closures in Ocean County, including in Eagleswood, Bay Head, the Long Beach Island community of Harvey Cedars, the Bayville section of Berkeley Township, and at the Leisure Village housing community in the Silverton section of Toms River, Staarmann said.
He warned motorists not to drive through flood waters.
“You don’t know how deep it is,’’ Staarmann said, explaining that high winds are blowing the floodwaters around.
Emergency crews in 5.5-ton, military-type trucks effectuated about a half-dozen rescues of motorists trapped in floodwaters in Ocean County, said Chris Raimann, supervisor of the county sheriff's 911 facility. Several of those rescues occurred along the bay front in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township, he said.
But, despite the weather, there were "very few car accidents and no injuries from the storm, so far,'' Raimann said.
With flooding expected to continue through the night on the barrier island-section of Toms River, however, police were expected to divert all traffic onto northbound Route 35, with one-way traffic in each of the two lanes, Raimann said.
"The challenge will be tomorrow, because of cold weather, icy conditions and people trying to get to different locations because of the holidays,'' Raimann said.
As light rain gave way to snow flurries in some areas Friday afternoon, an arctic cold front was on its way to the Shore, according to the weather service.
High winds caused power outages in Middletown and surrounding municipalities, according to Jersey Central Power & Light spokesman Christopher Hoenig. Power was restored by Friday afternoon to customers affected by an outage in portions of Middletown and Red Bank, but another 550 customers in Middletown and 850 in Hazlet affected by a second outage were still without electricity Friday afternoon, he said. Power to all customers was restored by around 5 p.m., he said.
"It’s important to remember today that safety is our number one priority,'' Hoenig said. "When winds gusting 40 mph-plus, our bucket trucks are grounded for the safety of our workers. And as the temperatures continue to plummet, our crews will be taking frequent breaks due to the risk of frostbite on exposed skin.''
The powerful Arctic front was expected to send temperatures plummeting upwards of 40 degrees by nightfall. A wind chill advisory was in effect for most of New Jersey, where wind chills were expected to fall below zero degrees Friday night and Saturday.
The fast freeze is also expected to make for treacherous conditions later on.
“The temperatures are going to fall pretty quickly, and that could lead to icy roadways,’’ Staarman said. “We’re going to have an extended period of very cold temperatures, with a wind chill (Saturday) morning of around -10 degrees (Fahrenheit).’’
Kathleen Hopkins, a reporter in New Jersey since 1985, covers crime, court cases, legal issues and just about every major murder trial to hit Monmouth and Ocean counties. Contact her at khopkins@app.com.
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: NJ weather: Shore hit by flooding as dangerous cold, snow looms
