What you should know
- Most river water receded Thursday, but the Passaic River in New Jersey is expected to remain at high flood stage for days, leaving residents worried about continued flooding in nearby cities. from the river.
- Up to 2 inches of rain is possible in some areas starting Friday through Saturday. A coastal flood warning was issued for parts of New Jersey and Long Island through Saturday evening.
- Additionally, we are tracking the potential for snow accumulation Monday through Tuesday.
The storm forecasts do not stop this week. Following two winter storms, a third with more rain is expected to arrive starting Friday night, as parts of New Jersey face the continued risk of major river flooding and some New York residents struggle to escape accumulations of snow. up to a foot of snow from the weekend.
Most flood-prone rivers in the Garden State receded amid a dry, rainless day Thursday, helping mitigate risks. However, the Passaic River is expected to remain in high flood stage for days, and with additional rain expected Friday night into Saturday, further water challenges are expected for vulnerable communities.
River flood warnings remain in effect for Fairfield, Connecticut and several counties in New Jersey. Coastal flood watches go into effect for parts of Long Island and the New Jersey coast later Friday. Check the latest weather alerts here. Wind warnings have also been issued, with strong gusts expected to return along with rain on Friday.
Most of the day it remains dry. Another half to an inch and a half of rain Friday night will exacerbate the threat of river flooding in areas still affected by Tuesday’s storm. Strong winds also arrive late, with gusts likely to exceed 50 mph on the coast.
River flooding, coastal concerns
Tuesday’s storm knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of people along the East Coast and dumped 2 to 4 inches of rain on the already saturated metropolitan area. Many schools faced delays and some districts closed for the day.
Flooding in the interior of the country is possible again with the next storm. Thunder is also possible. The worst is expected overnight.
People near the Passaic River are most at risk for flooding, including residents of Pine Brook and Little Falls. That river could exceed current levels and approach levels (18 to 24 inches) last seen during heavy flooding on December 20.
Governor Phil Murphy addressed the media after touring flooded sites in Little Falls on Thursday. He expressed gratitude that there were no reports of deaths or injuries associated with the latest storm.
Murphy promised help to those who already need it, as well as those who may find themselves in need, saying, “We’re here to help you, period. We’re in one of these cycles whether we like it or not, and we just have to get through it.”
The Democrat also said that ultimately the risk level has to change, adding: “We’re being swept away by Mother Nature, so whether it’s mitigation programs or resiliency programs, it’s pretty clear that we need to do a lot more.”
The Saddle River in Lodi, which was among the districts that closed schools Tuesday, is expected to continue to recede from the major flood stage and should be well below the minor flood stage by Friday morning. Expect only a slight rise in water levels.
The situation on the Ramapo River in Mahwah continues to improve Thursday, reducing the risk for the next system.
A flood watch was issued for parts of New Jersey in anticipation of rain Friday night into Saturday morning.
Winds won’t be as strong with this weekend’s storm as they were Tuesday night, but they could still gust up to 55 mph along the New Jersey coast.
Coastal flood watches are in place for Saturday’s high tide cycles, particularly along the southern shore of Long Island and the Jersey Shore.
What to expect in the coming days
High temperatures on Saturday will be in the low to mid 50s early in the morning before plummeting throughout the day and highs on Sunday will only reach the mid 30s. This will be the first day of an arctic invasion that will take over our area for the entire next week. As temperatures struggle to reach freezing, a storm system expected Tuesday into Wednesday could bring the first significant accumulation of widespread snow to the metro area.
As far as river flooding goes, the Passaic River will remain in major flood stage through the weekend, while other rivers in New Jersey, the lower Hudson Valley and Connecticut will begin to recede this afternoon before grow again over the weekend due to rain on Friday night with minor to moderate flooding possible.
2024-01-11 20:39:04
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