NEW YORK (WABC) — Another winter storm is set to hit Tuesday and it is bringing concerns of widespread flooding for already flood-prone regions in the area as well as high winds.
A Flood Watch has already been issued for New Jersey and parts of New York and Pennsylvania ahead of the storm Tuesday into early Wednesday. The combination of 2″-4″ of rain along with saturated ground and melting snowpack could mean particularly widespread flooding. A High Wind Warning has also been issued. More details on the track of the storm can be found here.
Another concern is that high winds are expected with the storm which could bring power outages.
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ALSO WATCH | Dangerous winter storm to unleash floods, winds: Weather or Not
Our active weather pattern shows no signs of letting up, with a powerful winter storm that will impact much of the country poised to wreak havoc on the Tri-State area later Tuesday into Wednesday, and more systems ahead in coming days.
STORM UPDATES
State of Emergency in New Jersey
Governor Phil Murphy declared that New Jersey will enter a State of Emergency effective at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday in anticipation of hazardous weather conditions including heavy rain, high winds, and flash flooding.
The State of Emergency across all 21 counties in New Jersey will allow resources to be deployed throughout the state during the duration of the storm.
“Beginning (Tuesday) morning and continuing through Wednesday morning, we are expecting one to four inches of heavy rain, strong winds, and potential inland and coastal flooding,” said Governor Murphy. “This storm will exacerbate the effects of the inclement conditions we experienced in December and this past weekend and may precede another storm Friday night. As always, I urge all New Jerseyans – including residents in our coastal and riverine communities – to follow all safety protocols and remain off the roads unless absolutely necessary.”
The Governor encourages New Jerseyans to visit ready.nj.gov for important weather updates and safety information. Residents should also monitor local forecasts, warnings, and watches.
The New York City Emergency Management Department issues a Travel Advisory
New York City issued a travel advisory for Tuesday evening into Wednesday.
“Our city government is prepared to respond to whatever comes our way, but residents should also take the necessary precautions to stay safe and protect their belongings. I encourage all New Yorkers to sign up for Notify NYC to get the latest information and closely monitor the forecast as this storm approaches,” said New York City Mayor Eric Adams.
New York City Emergency Management, in response to the forecasted weather, has activated the city’s Flash Flood Emergency Plan, and coordinated calls with the National Weather Service, partner agencies, as well as utility companies to ensure a unified and coordinated response.
New York City Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) crews have been checking flood-prone locations to ensure the functionality of catch basins and drainage infrastructure. DEP is also prepared to manage stormwater with cleaned and inspected Bluebelts and monitor flooding on arterial highways.
The New York City Department of Transportation (DOT) is prepared to monitor road conditions at its Traffic Management Center and coordinate with sister agencies for flood conditions, while also assisting in clearing catch basins to prevent roadway flooding. All empty tractor-trailers and tandem trailers will be prohibited on MTA bridges due to expected high winds.
MTA prepares for weather-related issues
Bridges and tunnels
MTA Bridges and Tunnels will implement a ban on empty tractor-trailers and tandem trucks beginning Tuesday, Jan. 9, at 6:00 p.m. The ban is expected to be in place until 6:00 p.m., Wednesday, Jan. 10.
NYC subway
Due to the nature of the subway system, rainwater will inevitably go down into the system and impact infrastructure. NYC Transit’s focus during heavy rain events is to minimize impacts to service by responding and removing water quickly when it does infiltrate the system.
Metro-North
Metro-North’s crews will be poised to protect the system against the effects of the rain, wind and snow melt expected on Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning and will be especially focused on the northern portions of its territory, which in some areas received up to a foot of snow over the weekend.
Long Island Rail Road
“LIRR crews are preparing the system for the incoming weather by pre-positioning equipment so they can respond quickly to any challenges brought on by the heavy winds and rain,” said Acting LIRR President Rob Free. “This storm is expected to affect the ride home on Tuesday and the ride to work on Wednesday and customers should monitor the TrainTime app and the MTA Web site for real time service updates.”
Long Island prepares for the storm
While temperatures are expected to be above freezing on Long Island, snow and ice is not a concern, but high winds during high tide can cause a lot of damage on Long Island’s south shore.
“I’ve been here most of my life and it’s getting higher and higher since Sandy, the tides are getting higher and you know it’s a beautiful neighborhood, great town…you gotta follow the rules by the water,” said Freeport resident Jimmy DeMase.
There are rules that businesses along Freeport’s popular Nautical Mile take seriously.
Meanwhile in Mineola at Nassau County police headquarters, county officials laid out their plans to keep residents safe.
“This is nature, it could start off as 2-4 inches and it could increase, so we’re preparing for the worst,” said Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman.
The Nassau County Office of Emergency Management is also preparing a plan to activate its emergency operation center involving police, firefighters, power companies and road crews at 4 p.m. Tuesday.
Boats have also been prepped for possible flooding and water rescues.
Chantee Lans has the story.
Hochul urges New Yorkers to prepare
Governor Kathy Hochul is urging New Yorkers to prepare as the storm system with heavy rain and very strong winds, will likely cause flooding and power outages throughout the state beginning Tuesday and lasting through Wednesday.
The system is expected to produce wind gusts of 50-60 mph across New York City, Long Island, Western New York, Central New York and the North Country, with gusts of 70 mph possible along the shores of Lake Erie and Lake Ontario. The North Country may also see up to a foot of snow, especially in higher elevations.
“After the weekend weather brought snow across our State, a new storm threatens to cause substantial flooding and gale force winds – posing a risk of power outages and creating unsafe travel conditions,” Governor Hochul said. “I have directed State agencies to monitor the storm closely as it unfolds, and they are prepared to work with our local partners as needed. I ask all New Yorkers to please take caution and keep track of weather and travel information in your area.”
In the city, NYC Emergency Management has issued a travel advisory for the storm.
A Flood Watch is in effect citywide ahead of the storm for Tuesday evening through Wednesday afternoon. A High Wind Warning and Coastal Flood Warning will also go into effect for parts of the city.
“More inclement weather is expected to hit New York City tomorrow night, bringing with it heavy rains, strong winds, and the potential for flooding,” New York City Mayor Eric Adams said.
PSE&G prepared for rain and wind
In advance of the storm, PSE&G crews are performing system and logistics checks to ensure the availability of critical materials, fuel and other supplies to bring customers safe and reliable service regardless of extreme weather conditions.
“PSE&G is closely monitoring this latest weather front and we are once again prepared for potential impacts on the system,” said John Latka, senior vice president, PSE&G Electric Operations, Transmission & Distribution. “We have crews scheduled 24/7 who will be ready for restoration once weather conditions permit. Our crews will work to safely restore any outages as quickly as conditions will allow.”
Preparing for the Passaic River to flood again
New Jersey officials are preparing for the potential major rain event amid concerns that the Passaic River could flood again.
In addition to Gov. Murphy’s State of Emergency, Paterson Gov. Andre Sayegh announced Monday that he will declare a State of Emergency for the city as well.
The governor was criticized for his failure to declare a state of emergency in advance of last month’s storm. State officials say his decision to do so on Monday should underline how much worse Tuesday’s rainfall could be.
It was late December, just days before Christmas, when the river over-spilled its banks from a deluge of rain.
It reached major flood stage at 21.5 feet and caused homes to flood and some residents needed high water rescues.
The Passaic River will start flooding once it reaches 19 feet and officials are expecting it to swell beyond that level again.
“We have DPW out right now trying to clear catch basins, specifically from the areas in town that we know flood, because right now they’re covered in snow and that gives the water really nowhere to go,” said Officer Stacy Chiarolanza with the Fairfield Police Department.
Those resources include setting up a sandbar filling station at the Fairfield Public Library and putting high-water rescue vehicles and barricades in position.
“Preparation is vital so we’re getting all those resources delivered today, so we’ll be a good 24 hours out before the storm starts, so just having everything here at our fingertips will really help us when rain actually does start,” said Lt. R.J. Casedino with the Office of Emergency Management.
Police warn NJ residents on social media
The Wayne Police Department posted a warning on Facebook, urging residents to monitor weather forecasts and water levels.
Police in Lincoln Park also posted that the mayors in the area are asking the governor and the DEP to open the flood gates at the Pompton Dam early to lower the level of the lake prior to the rain — and action that has helped in the past with river crest levels.
NWS Advisories, Watches and Warnings
For weather updates wherever you go, please download the AccuWeather app.
Follow meteorologist Lee Goldberg, Sam Champion, Brittany Bell, Jeff Smith, and Dani Beckstrom on social media.
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