New Jersey Bracing For Heavy Snow, Coastal Flooding
TRENTON, N.J. (CBSNewYork/AP) -- Much of New Jersey has been placed under a blizzard watch, as forecasters continue tracking a major snowstorm that could also bring flooding along the coast.
Forecasters on Thursday canceled an earlier winter storm watch after assessing the potential for winds and visibility. The blizzard watch is in effect from Friday night through Sunday morning.
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Accumulations of 6 to 18 inches of snow are possible. Meteorologist Valerie Meola in Mount Holly said there generally will be more in the central part of the state and less in the northwest and southern coast.
A winter storm watch is in effect for eastern Monmouth, Cape May, coastal Ocean, Sussex, Warren, Morris and Hunterdon counties.
A coastal flood watch is in effect from Ocean County south, where forecasters are concerned about widespread moderate flooding to localized major flooding.
As CBS2's Brian Conybeare reported, sandbags were already blocking doors along the boardwalk in Point Pleasant Beach late Thursday night ahead of the anticipated powerful nor'easter.
"The people that own these businesses must be really concerned," said Bob Heinen of Toms River Restaurant. "You know, water damage is a big deal."
Earlier in the day in Manasquan, the sun was shining, the ocean was flat, and many residents were out for a walk – in what perhaps amounted to the calm before the storm, CBS2's Meg Baker reported.
"Depending on how the storm develops, it may cause us to ask for volunteer evacuations," said Manasquan Mayor Ed Donovan.
Donovan was hoping the three-foot berm along the beachfront is enough to prevent a major crisis like Superstorm Sandy caused in 2012.
"The Army Corps of Engineers did a beach replenishment project a couple years ago," Donovan said. "Supposedly, we have enough sand on our beach to protect us from a hundred-year storm, and I think this will fall below the hundred-year storm threshold."
But Donovan said flooding was a major threat – particularly with a full-moon high tide coming Saturday.
"When you have wind coming out of east, the water can't get back out, so one high tide builds on top of another," he said.
The local public works department was busy Thursday securing property near the Manasquan Inlet, a flood-prone area where the bay meets the ocean. The Manasquan River is also a potential hazard.
"If we get a nor'easter, which we're talking about, usually this whole area in Manasquan – this end right to other end -- is always flooded, so if you're not out of here when the storm; when the tide gets high, you're not going to get out," said Francis Senece of Point Pleasant Beach.
Residents are preparing.
"We just went to Shop-Rite, and we turned around and left because it was so busy, and we're going to go back tomorrow morning," said Jen Ford.
"I love it around here," added Senece. "It just goes with the territory, you know."
Of course, some parts of the Jersey Shore -- including Manasquan -- are still rebuilding from the damage done by Superstorm Sandy.
"We do have a big storm coming and there certainly is some concern," said Mary Ryan of Manasquan. "It would be foolish not to be concerned."
Ryan lives on the ocean in Manasquan and remembers sandy all too well but is hopeful this weekend's blizzard is nothing like that historic storm.
"A lot of people still have not been able to recover from Sandy, so we do consider ourselves in a recovery period, still," she said. "So when a storm like this is projected there is a certain amount of anxiety that you know is raised just because everybody is still a little bit nervous."
Patricia Keegan lives on Ocean Avenue in Manasquan, and her house flooded during Sandy.
"We had waves coming up, then they would flow down the street and come up again," Keegan said. "Every single thing that people owned on their first floor was gone."
While she hoped nothing like that would happen again during this weekend's blizzard, Keegan planned to pull up rugs and move furniture upstairs just in case.
Meanwhile in Belmar, military grade plows have been working hard all morning Thursday pushing sand dunes into place, CBS2's Baker reported. Residents are hopeful the dunes will do their job to keep the ocean at bay and away from their homes.
Rick Peterson lives two blocks from the beach and can't imagine having to deal with another major storm.
"I was here for Sandy so hopefully we won't be having boats come down the street," he said.
Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty surveyed the coast Thursday with a drone.
"Some of the dunes have taken a beating over the course of the winter, so that's all going to get strengthened," he said.
His main concern is not snowfall or precipitation, but is on the beach with a dangerous combination of a lunar high tide and strong winds.
"If you live in low-lying area, move your car to higher area," he said. "We believe there is a high probability of flooding on the streets, moderate probability of flooding into people's homes."
The worst flooding is expected around high tide Saturday at 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. Waves up to 12 feet high could pound the coastline, eroding beaches and putting towns at greater risk for flooding.
Doherty said residents should also batten down the hatches and take all lawn furniture inside or tie it down.
"Right now it's reported anywhere 35 to 40 mile per hour winds, with up to 60 mile per hour gusts and that could make anything a projectile," he said.
In Union Beach, the borough sent out an automated warning to residents.
"Just to be prepared, that the tide cycles are going to be high over the weekend because there's a full moon and the northeast winds," said resident Amanda Dewan.
In Bergen County, residents are also getting ready.
"Shopping, got all the food," one man from Paramus told 1010 WINS' John Montone. "Bread, milk and everything else I need -- snowblower, changed the oil, put the new gas in it."
But for many hardware store owners, the snow couldn't come soon enough. Snowblowers, sleds and shovels have been sitting on the shelves for weeks.
"We have everything," Mark Gatto, owner of Ramsey Hardware, told 1010 WINS' Glenn Schuck.
After the storm moves in early Saturday morning, the snowy and gusty conditions are expected to continue through Saturday night before things improve Sunday.
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