Apr 16, 2007 1:04 am US/Eastern
Storm Watch: Nor'easter Slams New Jersey
by Christine Sloan
SEA BRIGHT, N.J. (CBS/AP) ―
Steady rain combined with heavy winds made for a nasty day in New Jersey. A powerful storm pounded away at the beach resorts and shorelines, with some parts covered in more than two feet of water.
The major nor'easter predicted to be the region's worst storm in 15 years pounded away on Sunday with heavy rain and high winds, causing hundreds of flight cancellations and flooding roadways.
The powerful storm, which had already caused several deaths elsewhere in the country, arrived early Sunday morning and was expected to stall over the region for as long as 48 hours.
Authorities said flooding and related problems had caused scattered power outages across the state and spurred some neighborhoods to be evacuated, especially in parts of central Jersey where nearly three inches of rain had fallen by Sunday night.
Meanwhile, more than 400 flights had been canceled Sunday at the region's three major airports, including Newark Liberty International Airport. Pasquale DiFulco, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey -- which operates the airports -- said all three were being affected by the storm, and travelers were urged to call their carriers before leaving for the airport.
The storm was expected to be the worst of its kind since the December 1992 nor'easter that caused millions of dollars worth of damage to buildings, boardwalks and beaches in New Jersey, and forced thousands of evacuations.
By late Sunday afternoon, 16 roadways throughout the state were either partially or fully closed and traffic lights were malfunctioning in some areas, said Kris Kolluri, state Transportation Commissioner.
"We have crews out there helping disabled motorists, but my one word of advice is to stay home," he said. "People think they can drive through flooding, and they get stuck."
Speed limits on the New Jersey Turnpike and Atlantic City Expressway had been reduced to 45 mph and 40 mph, respectively, and Kolluri said those restrictions would remain in effect until at least early Monday.
"The traffic has been relatively light and we want to make sure it stays like that," Kolluri said.
Earlier Sunday, residents of low-lying areas along the coast were preparing to leave their homes. Shaun Rheinheimer was moving furniture to higher spots in his Cape Cod house on Manahawkin Bay on Cedar Bonnet Island, a low-lying spit of land just west of flood-prone Long Beach Island.
Streets were beginning to flood, and wind-whipped waves spilled over bulkheads into backyards.
"This is going to be bad," Rheinheimer said. "I'm worried about getting my couch up off the floor, and then getting to my brother's house in Absecon."
Rheinheimer's house flooded in a lesser storm two years ago that soaked many of his possessions. This time he was taking no chances.
"I'm actually worried about the deck coming off my roof," he said, referring to a wooden staircase leading from the bay to the top of his house which is used for sunbathing and fishing in better weather.
"It's actually beautiful here when it's not flooded," he said. "You wake up and see the sun rise over the water. It's like a postcard. Just not now."
Bryan Bautkus was moving his cat and ferret to the highest point he could find in his house in the same neighborhood.
"I'm going to check the door to see if it leaks," he said. "Then I'm moving the car to higher ground."
A flood watch issued for most of the state was scheduled to remain in effect until early Monday, as was a flood warning for low-lying parts of Passaic County.
Anthony Gigi, a meteorologist with National Weather Service in Mount Holly, said more heavy rain was expected Sunday evening, adding that most of the state could see 2 to 4 inches before the storm departs, with the most in Middlesex, Somerset and Mercer counties.
"This is not going to go away anytime soon," he said. "But the worst with respect to wind and rain is going to be over by this evening."
Gigi said wind gusts could reach 50 mph, mostly expected along the coast, he said.
Some snow fell in Sussex County in the most northern part of the state, but it turned into rain and sleet, Gigi said.
"It's not the main course," said Gigi. "The concern is with the rain, the tidal flooding and the wind, not the snow."
(© 2007 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
