Melting snow, Tuesday’s rainstorm a dangerous combination for NJ flood-prone areas
The main concern in Paterson is the mix between the possibility of an upwards of two inches of rain and the melting of the snow that the city received over the weekend from the year's first winter storm.
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Some New Jersey communities that were impacted by flooding last month are concerned as torrential rains are expected for Tuesday.
The flooding impacted many residents near the Passaic and Pompton rivers right before the holidays.
The main concern in Paterson is the mix between the possibility of an upwards of two inches of rain and the melting of the snow that the city received over the weekend from the year's first winter storm. Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh says that this could potentially be a crushing combination.
Main Street is an area that is prone to flooding due to the Passaic River. The accumulated snow and future rain could mean too much water for the river to handle.
Just last month, the Passaic River crested over 10 feet high. Schools were closed for over a week, roads were shut down, and a number of residents were rescued from their homes.
Now, officials are looking to close streets in advance while working alongside other towns like Wayne, Little Falls, Totowa and others that could be impacted.
"We are looking at a coordinated plan that could be a statewide solution that we put together so that we can address not only Paterson, but the greater Paterson area," Sayegh said. "Paterson is going to take precautionary measures to make sure that not only do we mitigate whatever flooding occurs, but it does not impair the quality of life for anyone that lives in this area."
The City of Paterson just announced a fund to help residents impacted by last month's flood.
Looking ahead, Sayegh says they may need to expand that fund for even more residents if it comes to that point. They’ve applied through the Department of Community Affairs for funding to build a flood resiliency wall. They will find out later this year if that was approved.
