A strong nor'easter caused strong winds as well as minor to moderate tidal flooding in Upper Delaware Bay and around Raritan Bay and moderate tidal flooding in Lower Delaware Bay and Atlantic Coastal New Jersey on the 9th. The nor'easter also caused minor to moderate beach erosion. Peak wind gusts averaged 45 to 55 mph along coastal New Jersey and knocked down weak trees, tree limbs and power lines.  Because of the adverse weather, New Jersey Transit cross-honored train tickets.
Tidal flooding affected all of the coastal counties in New Jersey. In Monmouth County, in Sea Bright, two women were rescued from flooded waters in two separate incidents on Ocean Avenue. They both attempted to drive through flood waters. Flooding was also reported along Raritan Bay. In Ocean County, a steel sea wall was exposed in Mantoloking and Brick. A nine foot drop-off was reported along the beach. Sand bags were distributed in Toms River Township. In Lavallette, flooding forced the closure of one lane on Northbound New Jersey State Route 35 south of Washington Street. More extensive coastal and roadway flooding was reported on the southern half of Long Beach Island. Sections of Long Beach Boulevard were flooded and closed as vehicles were detoured to back roads. In Atlantic County, waves were crashing onto roadways in Longport. In Cape May County, West Wildwood closed the George Redding Bridge (New Jersey State Route 47).  In Ocean City, tidal flooding reached the doorways of businesses on West Avenue. Schools were closed.
The onshore flow around a surface high moving across Canada and spring tides with the departing full moon, caused minor tidal flooding to start with the morning tide cycles on the 7th and 8th. But, they peaked with the high tide cycle on the morning of the 9th with the arrival of the nor'easter.  Highest tides included 7.61 feet above mean lower low water at Sandy Hook (Monmouth County). The moderate tidal flooding threshold is 7.70 feet above mean lower low water.  The highest tide at Atlantic City (Atlantic County) was 7.22 feet above mean lower low water.  The moderate tidal flooding threshold is 7.0 feet above mean lower low water. The highest tide at the Cape May Ferry Terminal (Cape May County) was 7.78 feet above mean lower low water.  The moderate tidal flooding threshold is 7.7 feet above mean lower low water. Along the tidal Watson Creek at Manasquan (Monmouth County), minor flooding occurred 726 a.m. EST through 956 a.m. EST on the 8th. On the 9th, moderate flooding occurred and the creek was above its 5.5 foot flood stage from 736 a.m. EST through 1117 a.m. EST. It crested at 6.54 feet at 948 a.m. EST.
All of the following gage sites experienced at least minor tidal flooding. We are collaborating with  municipalities to fine tune threshold heights for moderate and major coastal flooding. Once they are made official, we will begin categorizing the type of coastal flooding at these sites. Highest tides included 8.13 feet above mean lower low water at South Amboy (Middlesex County), 6.67 feet above mean lower low water at Sea Bright (Monmouth County), 7.39 feet above mean lower at Belmar (Monmouth County), 3.84 feet above mean lower low water at Ship Bottom (Ocean County), 7.30 feet above mean lower low water at Tuckerton (Ocean County), 6.78 feet above mean lower low water at Absecon (Atlantic County), 7.38 feet above mean lower low water at Stone Harbor (Cape May County) and 8.04 feet above mean lower low water at Bivalve (Cumberland County).
Peak wind gusts included 56 mph in Kite Island in Barnegat Bay (Ocean County) and Tuckerton (Ocean County), 55 mph in Harvey Cedars (Ocean County), 52 mph in Long Beach Township (Ocean County), 50 mph in Brick Township and Barnegat Inlet (Ocean County), 49 mph in Sea Girt (Monmouth County) and Waretown (Ocean County), 47 mph in Monmouth Beach (Monmouth County) and 46 mph in Sandy Hook (Monmouth County) and Cape May Harbor (Cape May County).
The strong winds and moderate coastal flooding were caused by an intensifying nor'easter low pressure system. The pressure gradient (difference) was already in place with a high pressure system over the Canadian Maritimes. Meanwhile, the low pressure system formed off the Carolina coastal waters on the 8th. It tracked northward and deepened (intensified) as it reached the Delmarva coastal waters at 7 a.m. EST on the 9th. The low pressure system deepened an additional twelve millibars during the next six hours and was off the New Jersey coastal waters at 1 p.m. EST on the 9th.  The low pressure system stopped intensifying and drifted off to the northeast reaching the Rhode Island coastal waters during the evening of the 9th and eastern Massachusetts around Midnight EST on the 10th.  Once this intensification process stopped, so did the strong winds and the 9th was the last high tide cycle in which coastal flooding occurred.

Coastal Flood in MIDDLESEX, NEW JERSEY
From 09-DEC-14 09:00:00 to 09-DEC-14 11:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Coastal Flood in EASTERN MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 09-DEC-14 08:00:00 to 09-DEC-14 12:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Coastal Flood in EASTERN OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 09-DEC-14 08:00:00 to 09-DEC-14 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Coastal Flood in EASTERN ATLANTIC, NEW JERSEY
From 09-DEC-14 08:00:00 to 09-DEC-14 12:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Coastal Flood in EASTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 09-DEC-14 08:00:00 to 09-DEC-14 11:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Coastal Flood in WESTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 09-DEC-14 09:00:00 to 09-DEC-14 12:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Coastal Flood in SOUTHEASTERN BURLINGTON, NEW JERSEY
From 09-DEC-14 10:00:00 to 09-DEC-14 12:00:00 (EST-5)
Property damage: 0.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Strong Wind in WESTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 09-DEC-14 03:00:00 to 09-DEC-14 09:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 EG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in EASTERN CAPE MAY, NEW JERSEY
From 09-DEC-14 03:00:00 to 09-DEC-14 09:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 MG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Strong Wind in EASTERN ATLANTIC, NEW JERSEY
From 09-DEC-14 05:00:00 to 09-DEC-14 11:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 40.00 MG
Property damage: 2.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in EASTERN OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 09-DEC-14 08:00:00 to 09-DEC-14 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 49.00 MG
Property damage: 6.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: WLON

Strong Wind in WESTERN OCEAN, NEW JERSEY
From 09-DEC-14 08:00:00 to 09-DEC-14 13:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 41.00 MG
Property damage: 5.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet

Strong Wind in EASTERN MONMOUTH, NEW JERSEY
From 09-DEC-14 10:00:00 to 09-DEC-14 15:00:00 (EST-5)
Magnitude: 43.00 MG
Property damage: 3.00K
Crop damage: 0.00K
Reported by: Mesonet