Nor'easter Now Looking Likely For NJ, With Possible 60-MPH Winds

This could be the roughest weekend New Jersey has had in a while now that a noreaster is expected to bring 40- to 60-mph winds to the state – and even a little bit of snow. Power outages, downed wires, flooding and treacherous roads are the potential impacts caused by the storm.

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for New Jersey, saying a coastal storm will affect the region Friday night through Saturday. There is the potential for strong, gusty winds, and the rain could be heavy enough to result in localized flooding.

Some wet snow could occur at the onset Friday night at elevations above 1,000 feet in Sussex County. The wet weather is expected to start between 6 and 8 p.m. on Friday. Read more: Snow Possible In Sussex County Friday Night

But don't expect much to stick. The NWS said the wind and rain will be the much bigger threats.

A coastal flood warning will also be in effect along the Jersey Shore from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday.

One to two feet of saltwater "inundation" is possible in low-lying areas near the shorelines and tidal waterways. Widespread flooding of roadways is expected with many roads becoming impassable. Waves could be 8 to 12 feet on the oceanfront.

Here are the alerted areas:

At this time, it looks like this storm will bring 1-2 inches of rain and a period of 40- to 60-mph wind gusts mostly to the coast, and there will be some sort of wet snow over the interior, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Dombek said in a release.

How close to the coast the storm tracks and how quickly the storm strengthens will ultimately determine the force of the winds and the rate of rainfall and snowfall, according to AccuWeather.

Enough rain can fall over a several-hour period to create miserable conditions for those spending any time outdoors and cause flooding in urban and poor drainage areas, according to AccuWeather. Since the storm will be strengthening as it moves northeastward spanning Saturday and Sunday, winds will pick up on the coast.

Power companies are also preparing for the worst. Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) is preparing for the impact of the severe weather generated, in part, by the remnants of Hurricane Willa as it exits Mexico and continues its path east.

JCP&L personnel are reviewing storm response plans, which include making arrangements to bring in additional line, substation and forestry personnel and additional dispatchers and analysts at regional dispatch offices, based on the severity of the weather, the company said.

“We are taking steps now to implement our storm restoration process,” said James V. Fakult, president of Jersey Central Power & Light. “The ultimate goal of our pre-planning efforts is to speed the restoration process and minimize any inconvenience our customers experience due to the weather.”

Customers who may be left without power after the storm are encouraged to call 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877) to report their outage or click the “Report Outage” link on www.firstenergycorp.com.

In the event of severe weather, customers should immediately report downed wires to their utility or their local police or fire department. Customers should never go near a downed power line, even if they think it is no longer carrying electricity, the company said.

Extra caution should be used in areas where downed lines are tangled in trees or other debris. Motorists are cautioned to treat intersections with inoperable traffic signals as four-way stops.

Here is the forecast:

• Friday: A slight chance of rain after 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 54. Light and variable wind. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
• Friday night: Rain, mainly after 8pm. Low around 49. East wind 5 to 10 mph increasing to 12 to 17 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 31 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
• Saturday: Rain. High near 60. Breezy, with a northeast wind 16 to 21 mph decreasing to 9 to 14 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 38 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
• Saturday night: Rain likely before 8pm, then a chance of showers after 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Tom Davis photo