Depending on the exact track and intensity of the storm, most parts of New Jersey could face winds of 25 to 40 mph, with higher gusts possible, when the storm moves in late Friday into early Saturday.
Weather forecasters say the New Jersey and Delaware coasts could be hit with severe flooding if the late-week nor'easter is as strong as predicted, based on the latest projections by computer models.
"The threat of coastal flooding has increased," the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly warned in a storm briefing posted on its website at 4 p.m. Tuesday. "Major coastal flooding is now expected on the Atlantic coast" in Delaware and New Jersey, along with moderate to major flooding along Delaware Bay.
Depending on the exact track and intensity of the storm, most parts of New Jersey could face sustained winds of 25 to 40 mph, with higher gusts possible, when the storm moves in late Friday into early Saturday, the weather service said. "The strongest gusts will be along the coast."
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Some factors that will contribute to the flooding threat are a strong onshore flow and a full moon on Saturday, the weather service said. With a full moon, astrological tides are higher than usual.
As of late Tuesday, no tidal flooding is expected along the Delaware River or Chesapeake Bay, the weather service said. But back bay flooding is likely along the Delaware Bay.
Although the weather service has not yet made projections on specific snowfall ranges, an official at the agency's Storm Prediction Center said, in the worst case scenario, the storm could be as severe as the blizzard of January 1996. During that storm, many sections of New Jersey were hit with 10 to 20 inches of snow.
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In its 4 p.m. storm briefing, the weather service said this:
"The potential exists for a significant winter storm late Friday through Saturday. This will be the strongest storm of the winter, so far. Precipitation is currently likely across all of the region late Friday through Saturday night. Snow is expected across all of the area for the second half of Friday."
"From Philadelphia south and east, there is the potential for snow to change to rain on Saturday which would lower any accumulations. It is important to note that the position of any rain/snow line is ultimately dependent on the track and strength of the storm, which is difficult to pin down this far out."
Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality. Find NJ.com on Facebook.