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Storm passing 150 miles off shore
BY TOM HESTER SR.
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM
UPDATED
The New Jersey coast — particularly Atlantic and Cape May counties — will get elbowed by Hurricane Earl Friday with tropical force winds at over 40 miles per hour, heavy rain and dangerous surf.
David Robinson, the state climatologist, said the eye of the hurricane is tracking about 150 miles east of New Jersey in the Atlantic Ocean but warned of the potential of the strong winds and surf.
With the Category 4 hurricane expected to pound the Outer Banks of North Carolina Thursday night into Friday with winds up to 140 miles per hour, FEMA, attempting to avoid another embarrassment like its response to Hurricane Katrina five years ago, has issued a hurricane watch from North Carolina to Massachusetts.
"The rain some areas see on Friday may be from an approaching cold front from the west rather than from Earl to the east,'' Robinson said. "It might be a combination of both along the shore — first Earl then the front. Not much rain is expected. The danger of waves and rip currents along the shore remains.''
While the storm is expected to remain offshore, the National Weather Service late Friday afternoon issued a tropical storm warning for Cape May, Atlantic, Ocean and Monmouth counties and for half of Burlington County. The agency issued a tropical storm watch for Union, Essex and Hudson counties.
With the rip current and high waves in mind, the state Department of Environmental Protection has closed Island Beach State Park in Ocean County to swimming, surfing and wading through Friday. The popular beach remains open for sunbathing and land fishing.Larry Ragonese, a DEP spokesman, said the park‘s waters are expected to reopen Saturday. He suggested New Jerseyans planning to use the park to call 732-793-0506 to learn the water condition.
State Health and Senior Services Commissioner Poonam Alaigh is urging New Jerseyans, especially those along the shore, to take precautions, especially if they reside along the shore.
"Even if Hurricane Earl goes out to sea and we are spared major damage, New Jersey residents should still be prepared, especially with the upcoming Labor Day holiday weekend when more people are likely to be at the beach," Alaigh said. "Rough currents and riptides can lead to serious injuries or drowning of parents and children alike. It's important that everyone remain responsible regarding the ocean, whether they are boating or swimming."
Alaigh recommends beachgoers designate a responsible adult to watch children while swimming or playing around water, be close enough to reach pre-school children at all times, swim with a buddy, avoid alcohol, select a beach with lifeguards, do not allow children who don't know how to swim in the ocean, make sure a family member knows cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and don't use air-filled or foam toys in place of life jackets.
The commissioner reminder that state law requires that children under 13-years-old wear life jackets aboard any watercraft. Water-skiers, and operators and passengers aboard personal watercraft must also wear them.
"With September being National Emergency Preparedness Month, there's no better time for families to review their emergency plans," Alaigh said. "And the best time to prepare is before an emergency happens."
Alaigh offers these tips to prepare for a hurricane:
Know the town's evacuation routes.
Stockpile a few days of water and non-perishable food, flashlights (with batteries) and candles.
Designate a meeting place for your family during an emergency.
Make sure you have a sufficient supply of medications for several days.
Have emergency contact numbers easily accessible.
The Department of Health website has a page dedicated to preparing for natural disasters, with specific information on hurricane preparedness. Visit this website at www.nj.gov/health/er/natural.shtml.
In a related action, state Banking and Insurance Commissioner Tom Considine issued a bulletin to property insurance carriers alerting them to activate their Disaster Response Preparation Plans in advance of of the hurricane. The plans include emergency personnel availability to accept claims filings, preparation for increased customer inquiries and securing consumer data.
"As consumers prepare for a possible emergency we want them to know their insurance carriers are ready to act," Considine said. "The department has worked closely with carriers to prepare long before threatening storms approach. While consumers review their personal emergency plans, DOBI will make certain property insurers have their catastrophe response teams ready and in service if necessary."
Property insurers with more than $20 million of net direct written premium in force must provide the DOBI with a brief description of their activated emergency plans. The department may ask for additional information following analysis of Earl's storm track and subsequent damage reports.
