OCEAN CITY, N.J. (WPVI) — An impactful nor’easter is unleashing damaging wind gusts, heavy rain and coastal flooding as it tracks up the mid-Atlantic coast.
The storm is packing a serious punch as it slowly moves north and disrupts air travel at major Northeast airports and threatens to push the ocean into homes and onto roads along the mid-Atlantic coast multiple times through Monday.
This coastal storm is called a nor’easter due to the prevailing wind direction from the northeast ahead of its center. These northeast winds push water toward the coast, causing it to erode beaches and pile up and cause flooding.
People across the Philadelphia area are dealing with wet and windy conditions from the coastal storm. However, impact from the storm is mostly being felt along the coastline, bringing gusts up to 60 miles per hour and prompting road closures.
Acting New Jersey Gov. Tahesha Way declared a state of emergency that went into effect Saturday night “out of an abundance of caution,” asking residents to stay off the roads “unless absolutely necessary.”
Water levels climbed into minor flood stage on Sunday afternoon in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and shut down Route 40 and Route 30 in both directions in and out of the city. The flood threat will climb even higher to above 8 feet Monday, which would be the highest level observed since Superstorm Sandy in 2012.
Atlantic City had been getting ready for the storm over the last week, Mayor Marty Small Sr. told CNN on Sunday, adding the city had learned from past storms like Sandy how best to prepare.
“We always prepare for the worst and keep hoping for the best,” the city’s Acting Emergency Management Coordinator Michael Famularo told CNN.
A whole section of road on Route 322 in Egg Harbor Township is closed to traffic due to flooding.
Levels at Cape May, New Jersey, are projected to reach over 8 feet on Monday and would be the third-highest on record and the highest since January 2016.
“We saw really bad flooding earlier [Sunday], like the beach was all the way up to the beginning of the walkway there,” said Andy Chermela, from Lafayette Hill.
“The wind is so strong,” said Scott Hartranft of Somers Point. “I’ve been down here many a times before but never this strong.”
Some New Jersey Transit bus and rail services are also suspended through Monday, the service said, citing safety concerns from the storm.
New video shows floodwaters taking over streets at the Jersey Shore.
The storm’s force could be felt along the boardwalk, where debris was scattered and waves crashed against the shore.
The Delaware Emergency Management Agency activated the state National Guard to help with any storm-related issues, DEMA announced in a news release Sunday. A voluntary evacuation order was issued for the town of Bowers Beach, where the Murderkill River flows into Delaware Bay.
Wind, heavy rain not just coastal concerns
People waking up Monday to head to work should be cautious of both wind and flooding if you’re driving.
Strong, prolonged damaging wind gusts of 40 to 55 mph will continue to lash the coast as the storm crawls north through Monday. Some of the strongest gusts through Monday afternoon are expected from New Jersey into southern New England. These wind gusts are as strong as what a tropical storm produces, despite this storm not being classified as one.
Some of the gusty winds could last into Tuesday morning along the Northeast coast and could down tree branches and send unsecured objects flying.
The nor’easter will finally pull away from the coast Tuesday. High pressure will build in behind the storm, resulting in dry weather and decreasing winds.
Remember to not drive through flood waters, and watch for downed trees and power lines.
Around 12,000 customers in New Jersey are without power early Monday, according to Poweroutage.us.
Travel Impacts
The storm is affecting air travel in the Northeast, with ground delays due to weather remaining in place as of Sunday night at Boston Logan and John F. Kennedy airports, according to the Federal Aviation Administration, after ground delays at Reagan National, Newark Liberty, Philadelphia and John F. Kennedy were cleared earlier in the day. Average delays at JFK were more than three hours late Sunday.
CNN contributed to this report.
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