Coastal Flood Advisory Alert: Is Your Area at Risk? Impact Map, High Tide Timeline & Essential Safety Tips

The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a series of coastal flood advisories up and down the Mid-Atlantic as astronomically high tides collide with persistent on-shore winds during the post-Memorial Day stretch. WHAT THE ADVISORY MEANS • Timing: Most alerts run through the late-night high-tide cycle tonight (Mon 26 May) and will likely be re-evaluated for Tuesday morning. • Severity: Minor to locally moderate tidal inundation is expected—roughly 1–1.5 ft above ground level in the most flood-prone spots. • Impact zone: – New Jersey – Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Atlantic, Cape May, Cumberland and Burlington counties – Southeast Pennsylvania – Delaware and Bucks counties, including Bristol and Morrisville riverfronts – Coastal Carolinas – Pender, New Hanover, Brunswick, Georgetown and Horry (Myrtle Beach) counties WHY IT’S HAPPENING A slow-moving low just offshore is funneling 15–25 mph easterly winds toward the shoreline while a waxing gibbous moon pushes tide levels higher than normal. The combination is squeezing water into back bays, tidal creeks and barrier-island roadways. ROADS & HOT-SPOT LIST • New Jersey: Route 35 through Bay Head, sections of Long Beach Boulevard on LBI, West End Avenue in Cape May. • Pennsylvania: Bristol Wharf, River Road along the Neshaminy. • Carolinas: East Oak Island Drive, N.C. 211 causeway, U.S. 17 near the Waccamaw River. Expect brief closures during the two high-tide peaks (around 8 p.m. Mon and 8 a.m. Tue). SAFETY & PREPAREDNESS TIPS 1. Turn around—don’t drive through saltwater. Just 12 inches of flowing water can sweep away most cars, and salt accelerates corrosion. 2. Elevate valuables now. Move vehicles and outdoor equipment to higher ground before the next tide. 3. Check tide tables. If you must travel, leave at least an hour before peak high tide. 4. Secure basement pumps and shut off power if water threatens electrical panels. 5. Sign up for local NWS coastal flood push alerts and enable “flood warnings” in your weather app. OUTLOOK Models show the coastal low drifting northward and weakening by mid-week. If winds veer offshore late Tuesday, tidal levels should fall back to near-normal by Wednesday’s pre-dawn cycle. Until then, coastal residents should stay alert for updated advisories or an upgrade to a warning should water levels rise faster than forecast. BOTTOM LINE Minor coastal flooding is a certainty for tonight’s high tide, and a second round could greet early commuters Tuesday. Plan detours, keep vehicles out of low-lying lots, and monitor official NWS updates for any escalation.