A persistent onshore flow caused periods of heavy rain and strong winds in extreme southern New Jersey and widespread minor tidal flooding along Delaware Bay and the Atlantic coast from the 9th through the 13th as well as some beach erosion. Strong winds and minor tidal flooding started with the daytime high tide cycle on the 9th. The winds and minor tidal flooding both peaked on the 10th, with very slow improvement in conditions through Sunday the 13th on Columbus Day weekend and not so coincidentally the last day that minor tidal flooding occurred in the extreme southern part of the state.
In Ocean County, minor tidal flooding was reported on Long Beach Boulevard in Beach Haven and along Long Beach Island.  Minor tidal flooding also occurred in Seaside Park. On the mainland side, minor tidal flooding was reported off of Beach Boulevard in Lacey Township.  In Atlantic County, minor tidal flooding caused lane closures on the Black Horse Pike (U.S. Routes 40 and 322).  Minor tidal flooding also affected roadways in West Atlantic City.  In Cape May County, minor tidal flooding affected Bayview Drive in Strathmere. In Wildwood, two to three feet of water submerged several streets and parking lots off of Rio Grande Avenue (New Jersey Route 47).  In Ocean City, back bay flooding was reported and included flooding along 10th Street at Pleasure Avenue.
While minor tidal flooding occurred during the daytime high tide cycles from the 9th through the 13th, the highest tides occurred during the daytime high tide cycle on the 9th from Atlantic County northward and during the daytime high tide cycle on the 10th in Cape May and likely also in Cumberland County. In Cape May County. this also coincided with the strongest winds to affect the area as the peak wind gusts occurred during the first half of the day on the 10th and included 44 mph in Ocean City (Cape May County) and 42 mph at Cape May Harbor (Cape May County). Several hundred Cape May County homes lost power. Highest tides included 6.80 feet above mean lower low water at Sandy Hook (Monmouth County). Minor tidal flooding starts at 6.70 feet above mean lower low water. The highest tide at Atlantic City (Atlantic County) was 6.48 feet above mean lower low water. Minor tidal flooding starts at 6.00 feet above mean lower low water. The highest tide at Cape May (Cape May County) was 7.30 feet above mean lower low water. Minor tidal flooding starts at 6.70 feet above mean lower low water.
The tidal flooding and strong winds were caused by the pressure gradient (difference) between a high pressure system over New England and a low pressure system along the Atlantic seaboard. This low initially formed on a cold front in the Gulf of Mexico on the 7th. Some of the moisture associated with Tropical Storm Karen was ingested into this system. This low pressure system moved to the Georgia coast on the morning of the 8th and the North Carolina coast on the morning of the 9th. This low pressure system remained near the Outer Banks of North Carolina into the morning of the 10th (when the pressure difference between it and the high pressure system over New England peaked) before slowly weakening and drifting north to the Delmarva coastal waters on the 11th and 12th. A new high pressure system building into New England on the 13th then started shoving the weakening low pressure system southward later in the day on the 13th and into the 14th.

Strong Wind in EASTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 10-OCT-13 00:00:00 to 10-OCT-13 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 EG
Property damage: 2.50K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in WESTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 10-OCT-13 00:00:00 to 10-OCT-13 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 EG
Property damage: 2.50K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet