Area Under Flood Watch As Storm Hits Northern New Jersey

A flood watch has been issued for parts of Essex and nearby counties, and more rainfall is possible through early Monday, according to the National Weather Service.

From Sunday afternoon through Monday morning, total rainfall could be between 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 inches or more, according to a Sunday night forecast. Significant flooding could occur in urban areas or those with poor drainage.

Heavy rain is expected to taper off to showers by Monday afternoon, the forecast said.

The state’s Office of Emergency Management was monitoring storm conditions Sunday, the agency said in a news release.

“We are closely monitoring the situation with our partners from the National Weather Service and the County Offices of Emergency Management,” said State Police Superintendent Colonel Rick Fuentes, who is also director of emergency management. “Be especially careful if you are on the road. We remind drivers not to drive through ponded or standing water.”

The website for Jersey Central Power & Light encourages customers to take the following precautions:

Report an Outage

• If your lights go out, contact your local electric utility to report an outage by calling the automated reporting line at 1-888-LIGHTSS (1-888-544-4877).
• Immediately report downed wires to your electric company or local police or fire department. Never go near a downed power line, even if you think it's no longer carrying electricity.
• Don't try to remove trees or tree limbs from power lines. Wait for utility crews to arrive.

Safety Tips During Outages

• Keep flashlights and fresh batteries in your home. Avoid using candles to light your home, especially around children and pets.
• Never use a gas stove, charcoal grill or lantern intended for outdoor use inside your home.
• Make sure you have fresh batteries in a portable radio so you can stay tuned to your local radio station for updates on our progress to restore power.