(Lindenwold, NJ) – The Camden County Department of Public Works (DPW) is closely monitoring a storm system that could bring severe thunderstorms and wind gusts up to 60 miles per hour to our area this evening.
“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,” said Freeholder Susan Shin Angulo, liaison to the Camden County DWP. “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 this evening combines with an existing tropical air mass, severe thunderstorms are expected. A line of storms passing through our area from 5 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. At the public works complex in Lindenwold, a fleet of about 100 vehicles stand ready to keep Camden County’s 1,400 lane miles of roadways passable.
“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, please remember to immediately call your 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
- Atlantic City Electric website: http://www.atlanticcityelectric.com/home/
- South Jersey Gas: 1-800-582-7060
- South Jersey Gas website: http://southjerseygas.com/
As always, please dail 911 for emergencies only. If you see a problem on a county road, please call our 24-hour hotline at (856) 566-2980 to report it to DPW.