Manasquan, Belmar Nor'easter Impacts: Snow, Rain, Possible Floods

MANASQUAN – A “major" nor'easter hit Manasquan and Belmar on Wednesday and Thursday, producing snow and rain that's supposed to get worse as the evening approaches. Flooding was possible in the area.

The National Weather Service labeled the "major" system a "nor'easter" since it was expected to produce strong, sustained damaging winds and precipitation over a 24-hour period on Wednesday and Thursday.

Nine power outages were reported in Manasquan on Thursday morning.

Several inches of snow did fall in the area. Read more: Snow Totals, Town-By-Town, For Nor'easter On Wednesday And Thursday

Mayor Ed Donovan said there was little accumulation on Wednesday but he was expecting high-end moderate coastal flooding.

A high wind warning was in effect for sustained onshore winds of 30-40 mph with gusts to 60 mph.

A coastal flood warning was in effect for widespread moderate coastal flooding Thursday morning.

Tides / Coastal Flooding:

• Minor to moderate coastal flooding was expected around Wednesday's high tide, which was to occur at the Manasquan Inlet at 9 p.m.
• Surge values will continue to build overnight, and are forecast to peak around 4 feet during the early morning hours. The closer the surge peak occurs in relation to tomorrow morning's high tide, the higher the flooding we will observe.
• Widespread moderate coastal flooding is expected with Thursday morning's high tide which occurs at 9:20 a.m. There is a potential for a more significant flood event if the storm slows its forward motion and the peak surge coincides with the morning high tide. Coastal Residents are urged to closely follow the progress of this storm and take appropriate protective actions.

Preparations:

When a coastal flood warning is issued, moderate or greater coastal flooding is expected within 12-hours. If you live in areas exposed to tidal flooding, please take the necessary actions to secure property and move vehicles to higher ground.

Roadways will become flooded and impassable for extended periods, and access onto and off of the beachfront will become limited. Do not attempt to drive over a flooded road or around police barricades, local officials said.

Conditions permitting, utilize First Avenue and the Ocean Avenue Bridge for access off of beach areas. Remember to always follow instructions from police and emergency personnel on our roadways, officials said.

Coastal residents are advised to closely follow the latest forecasts and updates and be prepared to take immediate action to protect life and property if major coastal flooding is forecasted or develops.

Tides are forecast to run approximately 3 to 4 feet above normal, and widespread moderate coastal flooding is expected. The following areas may be affected by this event:

• All areas east of Potter Avenue, including most of the beachfront
• All areas within one block of the Glimmer Glass and Watsons Creek including River, Perrine, and East Virginia … as well as areas adjacent to Stockton Lake.
• If you live in or near these areas, please take the necessary actions to secure outdoor property, and move vehicles to higher ground before the high tides begin.
• Please be advised that all three access roads to the beach, including Main Street, Brielle Road and Ocean Avenue will likely become impassible for a period of time.
• Widespread street flooding will occur approximately 3 to 4 hours before and after the high tide cycle, limiting access onto and off of beach areas for extended periods.

Monmouth County DPW crews pre-treated critical roads with liquid salt brine overnight on Tuesday, to prevent snow and ice from bonding to the road surface. As weather conditions transition to snow, road crews will be applying rock salt treated with magnesium chloride.

The storm was expected to be fierce enough to produce plowable snow or possible flooding and more was expected to arrive overnight and into Thursday (see the forecast below).

Here were the expected snow totals:

State officials said they have more than 400 pieces of road equipment available to make the roads safe, even though fewer people are taking to the roads because of the coronavirus outbreak. Read more: Gov. Murphy Declares State Of Emergency For NJ Nor'easter Snow

AccuWeather was saying the system could be the "most significant winter storm in several years," one that could potentially become highly impactful and disruptive as the first round of coronavirus vaccines continue to be shipped around the country.

AccuWeather warned of major disruptions to travel and even travel shutdowns, as well as shipping delays, school closings and power outages from this "blockbuster storm," – even though a number of New Jersey school districts have said they'll opt to go remote instead of closing.

Here is the forecast:

• Wednesday night: Rain and snow, then rain after midnight. The rain, snow, and sleet could be heavy at times. Low around 29. Windy, with an east wind 25 to 30 mph decreasing to 20 to 25 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 50 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. Little or no snow and sleet accumulation expected.
• Thursday: Snow likely, mainly before 9 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 37. Breezy, with a north wind 20 to 25 mph decreasing to 10 to 15 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 40 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New snow accumulation of less than a half-inch possible.