Camden County Prepares For Approaching Storm

The Camden County Department of Public Works is preparing for a storm that could bring severe thunderstorms and wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour to the area Monday evening, officials said Monday afternoon.

“Camden County crews are clearing inlet tops of debris, checking on flood gates and preparing barricades and cones in case of the need for road closures,” Camden County Freeholder Susan Shin Angulo, liaison to the Camden County Department of Public Works, said. “Our chippers are fueled and hitched to trucks and chainsaws are fueled and ready in the event downed trees or limbs block county roadways.”

As a cold front approaching combines with an existing tropical air mass, severe thunderstorms are expected. A line of storms passing through the area from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m. can produce isolated wind gusts of 40 to 60 miles per hour and very heavy downpours. This could cause issues for the evening commute, as the storm has the potential to produce widespread rain rates of up to 2 inches of precipitation per hour.

Residents are encouraged to drive with caution and avoid low-lying areas where flooding is known to occur, and avoid any downed power lines. The county has a fleet of about 100 vehicles prepared to tend to the county’s 1,400 lane miles of roads, if necessary.

“If flooding occurs in our area, never drive your vehicle into areas where water covers the roadway,” Shin Angulo said. “Flood waters are usually deeper than they appear. Just one foot of flowing water is powerful enough to sweep vehicles off the road.”

In the event that the weather causes isolated power outages, residents should immediately call their utility company so they can identify the location and coordinate crews to restore your power.

This storm has the potential to bring down trees and power lines, and residents need to be extra cognizant of any power failures. Below are numbers and contact info for the power providers in Camden County:

• PSE&G: 1-800-436-PSEG (7734)
• PSEG website: http://pseg.com/home/customer_service/outage_info/index.jsp
• Atlantic City Electric: 1-800-833-7476; http://www.atlanticcityelectric.com/home/

• South Jersey Gas website: http://southjerseygas.com/

As always, dial 911 for emergencies only. Anyone who sees a problem on a county road is asked to call the county’s 24-hour hotline at 856-566-2980 to report it to the Department of Public Works.