Tropical Storm Fay makes landfall in New Jersey

Fast-moving Tropical Storm Fay made landfall in New Jersey on Friday amid heavy rain that closed beaches and flooded shore town streets.

The storm system was expected to bring 2-4 inches of rain, with the possibility of flash flooding in parts of the mid-Atlantic and southern New England, the US National Hurricane Centre said.

That measurement is down from earlier forecasts of about 3-5 inches of rain. The storm made landfall along the coast of New Jersey about 10 miles north east of Atlantic City, according to national forecasters.

Several beaches in Delaware had been temporarily closed because of the storm. And police in Ocean City asked drivers to avoid southern parts of the tourist town because flooding had already made some roads impassable.

Some streets in the New Jersey shore towns of Sea Isle City and Wildwood were flooded, according to social media posts. Seaside Heights, New Jersey, reported a sustained wind of 37 mph, said forecasters.

A tropical storm warning remained in effect from Great Egg Inlet New Jersey to Watch Hill, Rhode Island.

The warning area includes Long Island and the Long Island Sound in New York, forecasters said.

Heavy rain was falling in New York City on Friday afternoon as the centre of the storm crept northwards off the coast of New Jersey.

“We expect some pretty heavy winds, and we need people to be ready for that, and some flash flooding in certain parts of the city,” New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio said at a briefing.

The summer storm’s impact on the city was expected to be ”pretty limited”, but Mr de Blasio said it would be a bad night for outdoor dining — the only sit-down service allowed at city restaurants because of the pandemic.

“If you were going to go out tonight, instead order in and keep helping our restaurant community,” he said.

The shoreline town of Old Saybrook, Connecticut, was preparing to open the local high school as a 2,000-person shelter. In a nod to the coronavirus outbreak, Police Chief Michael Spera they will be handing out masks and will not be sending residents to the gym or other common areas.