The National Weather Service has continued its Flash Flood Watch for Avalon and all of Cape May County until 2:00pm on Saturday, July 29th. There is also the high risk for rip currents along our beaches through this evening.

As expected, a large rainstorm has dropped several inches of rain on our region during the overnight hours. Most of the heavy rain has moved off the coast. However, there is still the potential for rain, heavy at times to fall during the morning and early afternoon hours before some clearing occurs. Gusty winds will remain in our region until the storm departs.

The storm has caused some street flooding in our community. Please exercise caution while driving this morning. Never attempt to drive on any street or intersection that is flooded. This puts you and your vehicle at risk, and may make it impossible for first responders to rescue you. Driving on a flooded street also creates an unnecessary wake that can damage private and public property.

Never enter the ocean unless a lifeguard is present, especially when there is a risk for high rip currents along the beaches. Please follow all instructions provided by the Beach Patrol.

Before 6:00am Saturday, the Avalon Police Department closed the road to access the Townsend’s Inlet Bridge due to wave overwash on the roadway caused by the storm. The roadway will reopen when it is safe to do so.

If you have any emergency, dial 911. If you have an interruption in electrical power, contact Atlantic City Electric directly at 1-800-833-7476.

Here is the text of the Flash Flood Watch that continues today courtesy of the National Weather Service:

Flash Flood Watch, Areal Flood Advisory, Coastal Hazard Statement

Issued: 6:37 AM EDT Jul. 29, 2017 – National Weather Service
… Flash Flood Watch remains in effect until 2 PM EDT this
afternoon…

The Flash Flood Watch continues for

* portions of Delaware, northeast Maryland, and southern New
Jersey, including the following areas, in Delaware, Delaware
beaches, inland Sussex, Kent, and New Castle. In northeast
Maryland, Caroline, Cecil, Kent MD, Queen Annes, and Talbot.
In southern New Jersey, Atlantic, Atlantic coastal Cape May,
Camden, Cape May, coastal Atlantic, coastal ocean, Cumberland,
Gloucester, northwestern Burlington, ocean, Salem, and
southeastern Burlington.

* Until 2 PM EDT this afternoon

* showers and thunderstorms with heavy rain over Delmarva and
southern New Jersey are lifting to the north and east early this
morning. Additional waves of showers and thunderstorms with
heavy rain are expected to move into the area later this
morning. Rainfall amounts during this time will generally range
from 2 to 4 inches. However, training of thunderstorms may lead
to isolated higher amounts in excess of 6 inches, especially
across portions of Delmarva.

* Torrential rain falling in a short period of time will result
in rapidly rising water levels along streams and creeks and in
areas of poor drainage. Significant roadway flooding may
occur. Locations in far southeastern Pennsylvania, southern
New Jersey, northeastern Maryland and Delaware that were just
affected by heavy rain since last weekend will be particularly
vulnerable to flash flooding.

Precautionary/preparedness actions…

A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead
to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation.

You should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action
should flash flood warnings be issued.