N.J. weather: Nor’easter could stall near Jersey Shore as flooding threat eases — latest forecast

N.J. weather: Nor’easter could stall near Jersey Shore as flooding threat eases — latest forecast

The slow-moving nor’easter pummeling the Jersey Shore with strong winds and pounding waves Saturday could stall or even circle back between the New Jersey and New York coasts on Sunday, forecasters warn. The storm’s lingering presence could extend the risk of rain, flooding and widespread power outages.

AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter said New Jersey residents should prepare for more than coastal flooding caused by storm surge. Some inland communities could also see urban flooding, while power outages may affect a broad region.

The powerful coastal storm developed off North Carolina on Thursday and was tracking toward the Jersey Shore Saturday. According to AccuWeather, the system could “loop or stall near the coast between New Jersey and Long Island” on Sunday, potentially prolonging hazardous conditions.

Although the storm should gradually weaken by Sunday afternoon and remain in the region into late Monday, its slow pace and occasional powerful wind gusts could bring additional rounds of coastal flooding to parts of New Jersey and New York during high tides.

The encouraging news is that the latest National Weather Service forecast calls for most additional flooding to remain in the minor to moderate range, rather than reaching moderate to major levels.

Forecasters expect another 1 to 2 inches of rain along the Interstate 95 corridor and in areas north and west of I-95. Much of eastern and northern New Jersey could receive an additional 1 to 3 inches through Monday.

Many parts of New Jersey had already picked up 1 to 2 inches of rain by Saturday evening, meaning some communities could see total rainfall amounts of 4 to 5 inches from the storm.

Flooding was reported across large portions of New Jersey, stretching from Bergen County to Cape May County, as the Saturday morning high tide moved in.

Several Jersey Shore communities issued voluntary evacuation requests, while eight counties remain under a state of emergency until further notice.

In a video shared on social media Saturday afternoon, Gov. Mikie Sherrill warned residents to remain vigilant despite periods when the storm has temporarily eased, bringing calmer winds and breaks from the rain.

The storm’s most significant impacts are expected between 10 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. Sunday. During this period, heavy rain, strong winds and coastal flooding are all forecast to reach their peak intensity.

Saturday’s full moon, known as the Harvest Moon, is also expected to worsen coastal flooding during high tide.

Wind gusts could reach 60 mph or more, particularly along the coast. Gusts of that strength can cause damage at any time of year, but the risk is greater right now because most local trees are still fully leafed out. The additional weight from the leaves can make trees more vulnerable to strong winds, increasing the likelihood of downed trees and power lines and potentially leading to widespread power outages.

The storm is expected to make landfall along the Jersey Shore early Sunday morning. Like a hurricane, it will gradually weaken once it moves onshore. However, strong winds, heavy rainfall, and coastal flooding will remain concerns, though these conditions should slowly ease throughout the day Sunday.

Total rainfall across the region is expected to range from 2 to 4 inches, with the heaviest amounts likely along the coast and lower totals in the northwestern areas.

Since this will be a prolonged event, the threat of flash flooding is relatively low. However, heavy rainfall could still lead to some inland flooding.

Temperatures will remain fairly steady throughout the weekend, generally staying in the upper 50s to lower 60s. Conditions are expected to begin improving by Monday afternoon.

Check the latest forecast.