Storm brings flooding to the Shore
A nor'easter hammered the Jersey Shore for a second day this morning, flooding streets along the coast and damaging beaches with pounding surf and lashing winds.
![A lone windsurfer took advantage of rough seas yesterday at Strathmere, just north of Sea Isle City, one of the towns hit worse by today's continuing storm. (Akira Suwa / Staff Photographer )](https://www.inquirer.com/resizer/v2/CFH7PEYGT5H3ZLOPTHMGHQRQRE.jpg?auth=94ed5833c9be30ecaec5b6d149b6d46f24a9526e544307a3eca93758bcc9a3bf&width=760&height=507&smart=true)
A nor'easter hammered the Jersey Shore for a second day this morning, flooding streets along the coast and damaging beaches with pounding surf and lashing winds.
Cape May County appeared to be the hardest hit with waters from back bays swirling through streets during this morning's high tide. The 8.21 tide measured on the oceanfront was the highest since February 1978, and the sixth highest on record.
Around daybreak, virtually all of Avalon was under water, with the water 4 feet deep behind the borough hall downtown. Many streets in Sea Isle City and Wildwood also were under water, although the waters receded as rain relented, according to police.
Several bridges, including both the Ninth and 34th Street spans into Ocean City, were closed by the flooding. Among the roads closed this morning were the Black Horse Pike (Route 322) into Atlantic City, Route 52 into Ocean City, and Rio Grande Avenue into Wildwood.
Schools were closed in Wildwood, Cape May, Ocean City and Absecon.
National Guard troops evacuated some residents in high riding Army trucks.
The flooding was most severe along the back-bay areas, said Cape May County emergency-management spokeswoman Lenore Boninfante. With winds driving waves landward, the bays had difficulty draining.
As of 11 a.m., the Shore had been battered by onshore winds for 54 consecutive hours. Atlantic City reported a peak wind gust of 59 m.p.h.; Cape May, 50, and a 60 was measured 30 miles off Cape May. The peak gust at Philadelphia International Airport was 60, according to the National Weather Service.
Although Wildwood's flooding was its deepest in years, Sgt. Jim Nanos was taking it in stride.
"It's a way of life when you live down here," he said. "When you get high winds and high water, you adjust your life accordingly."
Some cars, however, were likely damaged by the high water because their owners failed to move them, despite the warning sirens, he said.
Service on the Cape May-Lewes Ferry was suspended until at least 11 a.m. because of choppy seas in the Delaware Bay.
More flooding is expected at the second high tide later today.
A coastal flood warning issued by the National Weather Service remains in effect until 10 tomorrow morning.
Officials fear the Shore could endure its worst flooding since the mid 1990s.
The Coast Guard in the meantime has called off a search for three men lost at sea after their commercial fishing boat sank Wednesday night in rough seas 20 miles off Cape May.