Worst of Nor'easter Yet to Come in Galloway

High tide passed at about noon Wednesday, and coastal communities saw relatively little tidal flooding and beach erosion, despite a flood advisory from the National Weather Service.

But forecasters of issued a coastal flood watch for Thursday (Oct. 10) when the wind and waves will be much stronger.

Before a nor'easter moves on toward the weekend, Galloway Township could see 2 to 4 inches of rain and wind gusts of 45 mph.

"Rain driven by gale-force northeast winds combined with high surf could result in even greater coastal inundation flooding during the midday and afternoon hours on Thursday," according to the NWS coastal flood watch.

High tide on the bay is at about 1 p.m. Thursday.

The slow-moving nor'easter could affect high-tide cycles into the weekend with rough surf and more coastal flooding.

The flood watch predicts tide levels on the oceanfront in Cape May to be 7.5 feet to 8.0 feet above mean low water during high tide on Thursday afternoon. Predicted tides in Atlantic City are for near 7.0 feet above mean low water.

In Ocean City, the tide level reached 10.02 feet on the same scale during Superstorm Sandy. Minor tidal flooding (expected about six times a year) is 6.5 feet, and moderate tidal flooding (once every five years) is 7.5 feet.

Wave heights on the ocean side are expected to be 8 to 12 feet offshore and 6 to 8 feet in the surf and further erode beaches damaged by Superstorm Sandy. 

Rain is likely both Thursday and Friday, and clouds are expected to linger throughout the weekend. Rainfall totals could reach 2 to 4 inches with the highest amounts closest to the coast. Wind gusts will reach 40 to 45 mph.

The ocean water temperature was 64.9 degrees on Wednesday afternoon.