[MTHOLLYSVRWX] Coastal Flood Warning : PHI@ 2/16/2003 4:54:11 AM

[PHI Skywarn]

WHUS41 KPHI 161000
CFWPHI
DEZ002>004-NJZ012>014-020-022>026-161600-

BULLETIN - IMMEDIATE BROADCAST REQUESTED
COASTAL FLOOD WATCH
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE MOUNT HOLLY NJ
500 AM EST SUN FEB 16 2003

...A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH CONTINUES IN EFFECT FOR LATE TONIGHT 
THROUGH MONDAY EVENING FOR THE NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE COASTS 
INCLUDING COUNTIES ADJACENT TO RARITAN BAY AND LOWER DELAWARE BAY...
...A STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR MARINERS ALONG THE DELAWARE AND 
NEW JERSEY COASTS...

THIS COASTAL FLOOD WATCH INCLUDES THE FOLLOWING COUNTIES...

IN DELAWARE...
KENT AND SUSSEX.

IN NEW JERSEY...
MIDDLESEX...MONMOUTH...OCEAN...ATLANTIC...AND CAPE MAY.

A MAJOR WINTER STORM IS TAKING SHAPE TODAY AND WILL AFFECT OUR 
REGION INTO MONDAY EVENING. THE DIFFERENCE IN PRESSURE BETWEEN A
STRONG HIGH PRESSURE CENTER OVER EASTERN CANADA AND NORTHERN NEW 
ENGLAND...AND A DEVELOPING STORM ALONG THE MID ATLANTIC AREA...WILL 
CAUSE A STRENGTHENING AND PERSISTENT NORTHEAST WIND TODAY AND 
ESPECIALLY TONIGHT AND MONDAY. THIS...COMBINED WITH A FULL MOON... 
WILL BRING ABOUT THE POTENTIAL FOR COASTAL FLOODING LATE TONIGHT AND 
MONDAY. 

MINOR TIDAL FLOODING IS LIKELY THIS EVENING BETWEEN 7 AND 830 PM 
BUT THE TIDE OF GREATEST CONCERN WILL BE THE HIGH TIDE MONDAY 
MORNING...WHICH OCCURS BETWEEN 730 AND 830 ALONG THE OCEAN FRONT... 
AND POSSIBLY THE HIGH TIDE MONDAY EVENING BETWEEN 7 AND 9 PM. 
REMEMBER...THE TIME OF HIGH TIDE OCCURS LATER IN THE BACK BAYS.

A STORM WARNING IS IN EFFECT OVER THE COASTAL WATERS OF NEW JERSEY 
AND DELAWARE...AS WINDS ARE FORECAST TO REACH BETWEEN 45 AND 50 
KNOTS OFF THE SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY AND DELAWARE COASTS AFTER MIDNIGHT 
TONIGHT AND OVER THE ENTIRE AREA DURING MONDAY. SEAS ARE EXPECTED TO 
BUILD TO 15 TO 20 FEET TONIGHT AND INTO MONDAY. THE POUNDING SURF 
WILL CAUSE SIGNIFICANT BEACH EROSION IN AREAS THAT COME UNDER THE 
FULL IMPACT OF THIS STORM. PRESENTLY THE WORST EFFECTS ARE THOUGHT 
TO BE FOR THE SOUTHERN HALF OF NEW JERSEY AND THE ENTIRE DELAWARE 
COASTLINE...BUT ALL COASTAL RESIDENTS NEED TO STAY ABREAST OF THE 
LATEST FORECASTS. BE PREPARED TO TAKE QUICK ACTION IF A COASTAL 
FLOOD WARNING IS NEEDED.
     
A COASTAL FLOOD WATCH IS ISSUED TO CALL ATTENTION TO THE POTENTIAL
FOR COASTAL FLOODING...AND FOR COASTAL AND BACK BAY RESIDENTS TO
START PLANNING A COURSE OF ACTION SHOULD A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING BE 
ISSUED OR IF COASTAL FLOODING OCCURS.

A COASTAL FLOOD WARNING MAY BE NEEDED AT SOME POINT DURING TODAY... 
ESPECIALLY FOR DELAWARE AND SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY SINCE THESE AREAS 
ARE LIKELY TO COME UNDER THE FULLEST EFFECTS OF THE STORM.

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE RECOMMENDS THAT YOU LISTEN TO LOCAL 
EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT OFFICIALS SHOULD THEY PROVIDE ADVICE OR
INFORMATION. INSURE THAT VEHICLES ARE MOVED BEFORE THE TIME OF HIGH 
TIDE...ESPECIALLY SINCE HEAVY SNOW OR MIXED PRECIPITATION MAY IMPEDE 
SUCH ACTIVITIES BY THIS EVENING/S HIGH TIDE.   
  
THE FOLLOWING IS A LIST OF THE TIMES OF HIGH TIDES IN THE WATCH 
AREA... 

LOCATION                   TIME AND DAY HIGH TIDE 

SANDY HOOK NJ (BAY)        740 PM SUNDAY        751 AM MONDAY

SEASIDE HEIGHTS NJ (OCEAN) 710 PM SUNDAY        721 AM MONDAY

ATLANTIC CITY NJ (OCEAN)   714 PM SUNDAY        732 AM MONDAY

CAPE MAY NJ (OCEAN)        747 PM SUNDAY        758 AM MONDAY

BREAKWATER HARBOR DE (BAY) 821 PM SUNDAY        846 AM MONDAY

FENWICK ISLAND DE (OCEAN)  726 PM SUNDAY        846 AM MONDAY
 
MINOR TIDAL FLOODING OCCURS WHEN THE TIDE REACHES 6.7 FEET ABOVE 
MEAN LOWER LOW WATER...MODERATE BEGINS AT 7.7 FEET...AND SEVERE
AT 8.7 FEET. HOWEVER...MORE VULNERABLE AREAS EXPERIENCE FLOODING 
WITH HEIGHTS AS MUCH AS A FOOT LOWER. 

STAY TUNED TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO...YOUR LOCAL RADIO OR TELEVISION
STATIONS...OR YOUR CABLE TELEVISION OUTLET FOR FURTHER DETAILS OR
UPDATES. ADDITIONAL WEATHER INFORMATION CAN BE FOUND ON THE INTERNET
AT WWW.ERH.NOAA.GOV/PHI IN SMALL LETTERS.

$$

 / RNS


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