Amid Flood Watch, Millburn Issues Guidance On Tropical Storm Ida

MILLBURN, NJ — The remnants of Hurricane Ida, which plunged New Orleans into darkness over the weekend, may bring heavy rain to Millburn on Wednesday into Thursday, the National Weather Service said.

In fact, a flash flood watch has been issued for Essex County, as well as most other counties in the state. It runs from Wednesday at 2 p.m. to Thursday at the same time.

For Wednesday night, the forecast for Millburn says, "The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 62. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New precipitation amounts between 2 and 3 inches possible."

See New Jersey in the forecast cone for Ida here.

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The township of Millburn issued guidance and gave residents a list of ways to follow local alerts (see below).

"Remnants of tropical cyclone Ida are expected to ride along a frontal boundary and affect the region Wednesday into Thursday morning," said a hazardous weather outlook for Essex County, as well as Bergen, Hudson, Passaic, and Union counties. "A period of moderate to heavy rainfall is becoming more likely for portions of the region Wednesday into Thursday morning. Flooding is a possibility, especially across urban and poor drainage areas."

• To track the storm on the National Hurricane Center site, click here.
• See the potential rainfall map here.

Press release from the Township of Millburn

The township issued this release on Monday afternoon:

We would like to take this time to inform residents on the preparations we will put in place in case of an extreme weather event. The following steps are initiated once a severe weather event shows signs of reaching our region:

The Department of Public Works begins the process of opening outflow pipes, catch basins, and walking the rivers to clear brush and potential hazards. We have drained the Taylor Park Pond due to expected rain levels and the potential for flooding during the storm. They service and prepare all 10 submersible pumps which are used during clean up to expedite the removal of standing water. A generator is placed ahead of time at the Gilbert Place pump station. All sanitary pump stations have emergency generators installed.

The Fire Department evaluates staffing levels should they need to mobilize in the event of a storm. Pumps and generators are readied. The department stocks up on gasoline, checks equipment and conducts last-minute maintenance preparations.

The Police Department evaluates its staffing levels, and is prepared to respond to an emergency should the need arise.

The Township encourages residents to visit the Township's Office of Emergency Management page to find helpful links and tips for storm preparation and safety. Our OEM page has documents with information for pet owners, senior citizens, people with disabilities, commuters, and more. Links to FEMA, NJOEM, and Ready.gov are also included.
Do1Thing is a 12-month program that makes it easy for you to prepare yourself, your family, and your community for emergencies or disasters. Visit the Do1Thing website for tips and precautionary steps that can be taken before a storm.

• Know the phone numbers for your utility companies
  • JCP&L: 1-888-544-4877
  • NJAW: 1-800-272-1325
  • PSE&G: 1-800-436-7734
• Do not approach downed lines or downed trees that may have power lines entangled in it.
• If you are in your vehicle and downed wires fall on it, stay in your car and call 911 for help.
• Be Prepared before threats are known.

• Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the local hurricane evacuation route(s) to take and have a plan for where you can stay. Contact your local emergency management agency for more information.
• Put together a go-bag: disaster supply kit, including a flashlight, batteries, cash, first aid supplies, medications, and copies of your critical information if you need to evacuate
• If you are not in an area that is advised to evacuate and you decide to stay in your home, plan for adequate supplies in case you lose power and water for several days and you are not able to leave due to flooding or blocked roads.
• Make a family emergency communication plan.
• Many communities have text or email alerting systems for emergency notifications. To find out what alerts are available in your area, search the Internet with your town, city, or county name and the word "alerts."

• JCP&L Website
• JCP&L Twitter
• JCP&L Facebook

• PSE&G Website
• PSE&G Twitter
• PSE&G Facebook

• NJAW Website
• NJAW Twitter
• NJAW Facebook

Updates will be made via Township Social Media and through SwiftReach as necessary. Stay up-to-date by signing up for Millburn's emergency alerts on SwiftReach, follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram, and check our website for news updates.

Floods This Summer

While some may consider flash floods just an inconvenience, these floods have proved fatal to drivers (sometimes trapping parents and children in their cars as water rises) and to children playing near small streams.

Severe storms are becoming more frequent. In fact, Hurricane Elsa in July 2021 was the earliest E-named storm in modern weather history.

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