Avoid Non-Essential Driving Early Saturday Morning, Hoboken Says

HOBOKEN, NJ — Heavy rain at high tide on Friday morning (9:01 a.m.) led to many Hoboken corners flooding — and while waters have receded, some officials are concerned about a repeat.

The next high tide is 9:26 a.m. Saturday morning, 5.7 feet.

Area officials have warned the community not to try to drive through floodwaters, and Hoboken officials declared a state of emergency Friday.

The city, in a message Friday night (posted below), noted that the state of New Jersey had declared a state of emergency as well, and asked residents to avoid unnecessary travel during the "early morning hours" of Saturday.

"I have reached out to the mayors of Hackensack, Jersey City, Newark, Elizabeth, and Hoboken about the ongoing storms and flooding. We urge everyone to stay off the roads, stay safe and avoid flooded areas," said Gov. Phil Murphy at 3:30 p.m. on Friday.

The city got more than 3 inches of rain, the National Weather Service said. That's more than during the tropical storm last week, during which there was almost no flooding.

See the forecast, watches, and warnings here. The coastal flood advisory now ends Sunday, Oct. 1 at 1 p.m.

See prior reporting and photos here: Flood Gates Lowered In Hoboken.

The city of Hoboken issued this message on Friday evening:

Governor Phil Murphy has declared a State of Emergency for all of New Jersey, in response to significant rain and flash flooding across the state, including in Hoboken. The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for our area until late tonight, and a coastal flood advisory until 12 p.m. tomorrow.

Residents should prepare for flooding in low-lying areas, particularly during times surrounding high tide, which is scheduled for approximately 9:37 a.m. Saturday morning.

Mayor Bhalla and the Office of Emergency Management ask residents to avoid traveling during the early morning hours Saturday. Residents are reminded not to walk or drive around barricades or through flooded areas. Driving through floodwaters can be dangerous. Stranded vehicles can impede emergency responses. Do not remove flood advisory signs or move barricades from flood-prone areas.

Residents should report flooded intersections and clogged drain inlets by calling the NHSA Hotline at (866) 689-3970.

City Cancellations and Closures

The City’s waste container distribution, scheduled for tomorrow, is cancelled. A new date will be announced in the coming days.

All City recreation programs are cancelled for tomorrow.

See the rest of this message on the web.