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Heavy rains and coastal flooding concerns add up for a messy Red Alert weather day

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First Alert Forecast: CBS2 10/4 Evening Weather at 6PM 03:05

The First Alert Weather Team has declared Tuesday a Red Alert day due to persistent soaking rain and coastal flooding concern. 

See below for the latest. 

 

Rainy weather takes a toll on parts of Jersey Shore

Rain, wind pummel Jersey Shore 02:24

Towering waves repeatedly pummeled the Jersey Shore on Tuesday, wiping away beloved beaches. 

"Our beach is gone," Point Pleasant Borough resident Sherry Frederick told CBS2's Vanessa Murdock.

In Bayhead, the dunes now abruptly end at a drop-off roughly 6 feet high. Red flags were forced to fly horizontally warn of the danger if you dare enter the angry Atlantic.

"There's a lot of energy coming in through here," said Russ Boyko, from Island Heights.

In Manasquan, flashing yellow lights alert drivers of an "urgent" warning. Coastal Flooding at high tide took over Brielle Road. Trash bins became buoys and homes became islands. Cars took their chances through the streets, sending spray flying.

Rainy weather takes a toll on parts of Jersey Shore 02:48

CBS2's camera caught a back hoe in action, moving the windswept sand from the boardwalk back to the beach where it belongs and seagull struggling to make progress against the wind gusts up to 40 mph.

None of the elements thrown our way could stop one woman from making it home Tuesday evening, nor did it stop Greg Mooney from getting in his run. 

"Very few times you get to go out and see sort of this Mother Nature fury, and you can touch it and hear it, but it's really crazy," he said.

"By Thursday, we're supposed to have better weather, so I'm looking forward to that," Frederick said.

Wednesday, unfortunately, is going to be another bleak day which will again mean continued high surf and some continued problems along the coastline.

By Vanessa Murdock
 

Rain and pounding waves raise coastal erosion and flooding concerns

Tuesday was the fourth day of dealing with a coastal low that just won't quit.  

Rain and wind continue to whip Jersey Shore 02:02

The cold, damp, windy weather and high surf will continue through Wednesday. 

The waves were 4-8 feet high off Manasquan at around noon. The persistent, pounding waves on the coastline have decimated portions of the Jersey Shore.

Pictures from Harvey Cedars Police show what little is left of the beach. In fact, the department put out a warning on social media to take caution as erosion has created 6-8 foot cliffs in the sand.  

Heavy rainfall left roadways under water. Video captured in Jersey City showed 440 closed at Kellogg Street in both directions after more than an inch of rain fell in just a few hours.  

Rainfall has been a major problem down at the shore. Ocean County got dumped on. Parts of the county has been left waterlogged, with running total topping seven inches. 

Wind-swept sand covers the boardwalk in Manasquan, but a bulldozer was out trying to a clear path. Not soon enough for Lisa Baglieri. 

"I was going to go for a walk, because I live over on the marina in Brielle, and I was just like I'm going to take a quick walk up the beach. But seeing all the sand up there, on the Boardwalk, and the wind -- when you're in them -- it's such a big difference," Baglieri said. 

Coastal flooding is another issue. Repeated rounds of high-tide flooding have led to road closures down shore.  

A Coastal Flood Warning remains in effect for Monmouth and Ocean Counties until 9 p.m.

By Vanessa Murdock
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