Shore Environment

Nor’Easter to Bring Wintry Mix, Flooding, 50mph Winds to Shore Area

by
Daniel Nee
February 13, 2024

The forecast for the Feb. 13, 2024 nor’easter. (Source: NWS)

Another week, another nor’easter for the Jersey Shore.

Forecasters were tracking the incoming storm early Tuesday morning, which threatens to bring rain, snow, tidal flooding and strong winds to the region. Ocean County was under a Coastal Flood Warning until 3 a.m. Feb. 14 and a wind advisory from 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday. A winter weather advisory was in effect for the mainland areas of Ocean County until 3 p.m. Tuesday.

According to a statement from the National Weather Service, after rain moves through overnight between Monday and Tuesday, periods of rain and snow, mainly before 3 p.m., will be present during the day. The rain could be heavy at times. It is unlikely the snow will accumulate more than one to two inches in the Shore region, since it will be sandwiched between rainfall, however the exact path of the storm will determine final outcomes. The daytime high will be well above freezing, at 39 degrees.

“There is uncertainty regarding snow amounts and how efficiently the snow will accumulate on roads, given mild temperatures with precipitation starting as rain overnight,” the NWS said in a statement.

10 PM Monday: Another small update to the snowfall forecast through Tuesday. Advisories now extend into northern Delaware. #PAwx #NJwx #DEwx #MDwx pic.twitter.com/Fq9YvfVeeq

— NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) February 13, 2024

It will be windy Tuesday, with a northeast wind 25 to 30 m.p.h. becoming northwest 15 to 20 m.p.h. in the afternoon. Winds will gust to 50 m.p.h., or slightly more during particularly intense storm periods.

The coastal flood warning calls for “one to two feet of inundation above ground level in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways.” The coastal flooding will be “moderate.”

“At the moderate flood stage level, widespread roadway flooding occurs in coastal and bayside communities and along inland tidal waterways,” the statement said. “Minor coastal flooding will occur around the times of the high tides through Tuesday night. The greatest impacts are forecast to occur with the Tuesday daytime high tide. Some moderate coastal flooding may be observed as a strong coastal storm moves offshore.”

Finally, the wind advisory calls for north winds 25 to 35 m.p.h. with gusts up to 50 m.p.h. expected.

“Gusty winds could blow around unsecured objects. Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result,” the NWS said.

The good news, forecasters say, is that the storm will move through the region rapidly. Partly cloudy skies will return Tuesday night and Wednesday will be sunny, though it will remain breezy. It will also be cooler, with a high of just 37 degrees.