Lingering Storm System Off East Coast Creating Rough Seas

Over the past couple days, there had been an unsettled weather pattern in the wake of severe storms breaking through the latest heatwave.  The unsettled weather finished up on Friday when a disturbance rode along what had become a stalled front just to the south of our area, and brought some much needed rain.

In Northwestern Middlesex County, the rainfall ended up falling short of the forecasted amounts, but it was still helpful to the cause.  Friday was the third straight day of measurable rain in South Plainfield, the first time that has happened in at least a month.  It also marked the fourth time this week that there was rain here in town.  A total of 1.64 inches fell this week, which was about 97 percent of all the rain during the month of July to date.

As of this morning, there was still some residual cloudiness in the aftermath of this latest rain.  The low was still moving out to sea.  The trailing edge of the cloud pattern consisting of cirrus, cirrocumulus, and altocumulus clouds remained over a good part of Eastern Central Jersey well into the afternoon.  Consequently, seas are still a bit rough along the Jersey Shore.  The latest surf zone forecast from the National Weather Service indicated a high risk all the day down the Jersey coast.

Rip Current risk remains high, especially in parts of Monmouth County as well as the south shore of Long Island in New York.  There is also a Small Craft Advisory for all coastal waters from Sandy Hook to Fenwick Island, Delaware out some 20 nautical miles.  So, stay out of the water, especially in unprotected areas (no lifeguards).