Flooding remains a chronic threat at the shore. Here, flooding leaves a section of Sea Isle City's Sounds Avenue underwater in September 2024.
Anyone who lives at or has visited the shore probably knows just how tempestuous the weather can be, especially in the winter.
But whether it’s flooding, a blizzard or gale-force winds, Cape May County’s 16 municipalities will be “StormReady.”
The National Weather Service has renewed Cape May County’s StormReady designation through March 3, 2029, recognizing the county's continued commitment to weather preparedness and public safety, the county announced Monday in a news release.
The StormReady program helps communities develop plans to handle severe weather events and enhance their resilience. Cape May County has met rigorous criteria in six key areas: communications, NWS information reception, weather and water monitoring systems, local warning dissemination, community preparedness, and administrative tools/record keeping.
The designation covers all 16 municipalities in Cape May County, including popular coastal destinations like Ocean City, Sea Isle City, Wildwood and Cape May, county officials said in the release.
“We’re proud to maintain our StormReady status, which demonstrates our ongoing dedication to protecting our residents and visitors from severe weather threats. This recognition reflects the hard work of our emergency management team and their proactive approach to public safety," said Cape May County Board of Commissioners Director Leonard Desiderio, who also serves as Sea Isle’s mayor.
Christopher Leusner, director of Cape May County Emergency Management, noted that the StormReady program has helped the county to strengthen its efforts to prepare for severe weather.
“We continue to urge all county residents to have an evacuation plan in place and stay informed through our various alert systems,” Leusner said.
The Ocean City Boardwalk is virtually deserted after a snowstorm on Feb. 12.The county offers multiple ways for residents and visitors to stay informed during emergencies, including web notifications, social media updates, email alerts, text messages, and reverse 911 calls.
For more information on emergency preparedness in Cape May County, visit capemaycountynj.gov and click on the “Emergency Management” tab.
In another development, the county’s Office of Emergency Management is currently updating the county’s Hazard Mitigation Plan (HMP) and seeking public input as part of the process.
The goal of the project is to save lives and property through the reduction of “hazard vulnerability” for the entire county. During the course of the HMP planning project, county and local leaders and the community will work in tandem to identify risks, assess capabilities, and formulate a strategy to reduce disaster vulnerability, the county said.
The county said public participation and feedback are a vital part of the hazard mitigation planning process. The Cape May County Hazard Mitigation Steering Committee has developed a Mitigation Survey to assist in providing the public an outlet to contribute to the county’s HMP update.
The survey will be used to develop portions of the HMP. The survey is anonymous for anyone choosing to take it.
Click here to take the public survey.
Storms erode the dunes at some of Ocean City's north end beaches in 2024.
