Cranford OEM Update 09/29 @ 10:30AM: Coastal Storm
The following is an update from the Cranford Office of Emergency Management (OEM) as of 09/29/2023 @ 10:30 AM:
A Coastal Storm system continues to impact our area into the afternoon and evening hours tonight. This storm has the potential to cause significant flash flooding of roadways, as well as flooding near flood prone areas near the river and small streams. Confidence in our area receiving rainfall totals which produce significant flooding remains somewhat low, however there is the potential that we will experience these impacts, particularly for the remainder of the morning and into the early afternoon hours.
What residents should do:
Residents in flood prone areas should take common sense precautions and monitor conditions if flooding materializes. Have multiple ways to receive weather warnings, as the National Weather Service will issue Flood Warnings if conditions materialize. All NWS warnings impacting Cranford will be automatically re-broadcast on Nixle and are available on a variety of weather apps and via local news sources.
If the heaviest rainfall rates occur over the Cranford area, significant roadway flooding may occur. Flood prone locations may become inundated with rain runoff. The most likely time for this will be during the day on Friday. Please do not attempt to drive through roadways that are flooded. Just six inches of water is enough to disable a vehicle and cause life-threatening conditions. Confidence remains low as to where these conditions may occur, however there is high confidence of these conditions occurring somewhere in the metro area today.
PLEASE NEVER ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THROUGH FLOODED ROADWAYS. Please also be mindful of school dismissal times and the evening rush hour tonight, and give yourself extra travel time.
In addition, overbanking of the river and brooks may occur if the highest rainfall totals impact the Union or Essex County areas. If you live in a flood prone location, monitor weather conditions and have a plan in the event that flood warnings are issued.
Recent rains will also result in elevated water tables, so ground water flooding in basements, even outside of flood zones, remains a possibility.
The Township has taken precautions, including opening river gates and deploying pumps, and has implemented storm response procedures within the public safety and public works departments. We can protect ourselves and our families with some common-sense preparedness measures.
Again, there is not a high degree of confidence in this storm's impacts to Cranford. However, there is the possibility for flooding, including some significant flash flooding, if the right conditions materialize. So, all residents should continue to remain weather aware over the remainder of the day, and if you live in a flood zone, have a plan in place in case the higher-end rainfall impacts our area.
Residents should report any non-emergency utility problems directly at the contact points below.
EMERGENCY CONTACT INFORMATION FOR UTILITY COMPANIES:
PSE&G 1-800-436-7734
Elizabethtown Gas 1-800-242-5830
New Jersey American Water 1-800-272-1325
Comcast 1-800-266-2278
Verizon FiOS 1-888-438-3467
Verizon 1-800-827-4966
As always, please reserve 9-1-1 for EMERGENCIES ONLY.