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The SandPaper/Wednesday, December 3, 2014 35 Mallard Island Continued from Page 27 “You can’t pin these people together,” Pfei- ffer said. “It’s hard to get a groundswell.” Therein lies the rub, according to Moran. He sent out a letter to all residents, asking them to grant permission to do some work to existing mosquito ditches, which would usher water out to the bay if they were cleaned out, fixed up and maintained – but he could not obtain all the necessary approvals. The ditches are long trenches that were dug through the marsh ages ago, though no one knows exactly when, and are long since filled in and overgrown. “We dig it out, and Mother Nature puts it back,” Public Works Manager Dave Garrison said on a recent tour of some of the worst af- fected areas. The Ocean County Mosquito Extermina- tion Commission has no record of when the ditches were created, or by whom, according to Superintendent Mike Romanowski, though he suggested it might have been a project of the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. The mosquito commission has expressed willingness to perform the work to reopen the pathways and keep them operational, but Romanowski said the individual property owners’ approvals via right-of-entry agreements would be required. Next, he said, there would be a complicated permitting process with the state and with the Army Corps of Engineers and, finally, the question of, “How would we go about it without making an absolute mess on the roads, with our machinery?” Whether it’s sea level rise as a result of global warming, or siltation caused by Sandy that has compounded the issues, given the nature of the beast – “two areas both lying at or below sea level, next to the bay … that’s what it is” – all possible solutions are mediocre at best, he explained. “I can’t drain the water off into the bay when the bay is up to their bulkheads,” Moran said. And raising the road surface would likely only flood other properties with a lower elevation. In-the-ground utility is problematic in shal- low wetlands. A drain line can also act as a conduit carrying bay water in the wrong direc- tion; digging new trenches is time-consuming and costly; drain boxes can be installed in the roads but they don’t connect to anything; trap rock is one style of ground filtration system but in front of a driveway it eventually it gets too compressed to work properly. In the opinions of Moran and Garrison, short of building up the elevation of the entire area about three feet, no solution will be all that ef- fective or long lasting. No matter how the flow of water gets redirected, “You’ve still got the number one ‘enemy,’” Garrison said, pointing at the bay. “They think this is easy, but they don’t under- stand (the complexities),” Moran said. Currently the town’s Road Division is con- sidering a plan in certain spots, where it’s pos- sible from an engineering standpoint to change the pitch of the road, improve existing ditches alongside the road and place additional drains where the property owners have given the OK. One such spot is down near the end of Avenue A, where banking the road will allow the water to flow off into the adjacent wetlands and not impact any nearby homes. “Otherwise, I’m creating a dam.” Often, though, “fixing” the drainage in one place can simply transfer the problem to another place, so piecemeal efforts are only effective to a degree. But taking a wholesale approach can cost millions, as in Ocean Acres, which doesn’t have an in-ground drainage system. Instead, drain boxes were installed throughout the former pinelands area development and floodwater runs to the three retention basins or to Ocean Acres lake or past the Garden State Parkway and out to the cranberry bogs. “Who’s going to invest the kind of money it would take to raise the roads?” Moran asked. Pfeiffer is ready to write a check and knows others would be right there with him. “We’re willing to dig our own ditches if we have to,” Pfeiffer said. The flooding issues are not new, of course. The first structures that were built on the marsh, decades ago, were simple shacks used by fisher- men and hunters – terms such as “squatters” and “homesteaders” get bandied about. A few of the original dwellings remain, but most were torn down to make way for larger, more luxurious homes. Lots have been subdivided to allow for more houses. According to Moran, township tax records show Mud City comprises 52 properties; Mallard Island has 356 delineated parcels, but only 149 are improved lots. The rest are likely unbuildable due to wetlands, he said. Increased development, and increased im- pervious coverage on the properties has only added to the flooding over time, Garrison noted. “Seeking any path” to an improvement for his and his neighbors’ quality of life, Pfeiffer said his next step might involve hiring an envi- ronmental lawyer or reaching out to a county, state or independent engineer for another profes- sional opinion. In some ways, Pfeiffer said, he and his neighbors feel they are struggling against a misperception about what the Mallard Island community is, and what it could be. “Yeah, we’re built on marsh. Yeah, we’re raised up. Still, the roads should be passable.” [email protected] Health Dept. Continued from Page 31 schools or groups – call the above number if interested. No doubt about it, HIV/AIDS is far from the disease du jour these days, what with Ebola and enterovirus 68. Reconsider the numbers, however. To repeat, approximately 25 million people worldwide have died of AIDS and over a million Americans are infected with HIV. As of Nov. 14, the CDC said the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa had produced 14,413 cases and 5,177 deaths. —R.M. RREM Continued from Page 32 Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration loans or other sources. Representatives from the DCA’s Sandy Re- covery Division, Housing Recovery Centers, and RREM program managers will be present to answer specific questions about the RREM pro- gram. Additionally, representatives of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs will be available to discuss respectively the federally mandated environmental and historical review and best practices in selecting a reliable contractor to undertake home rebuilding work. For more information on the session, RREM applicants may contact the DCA’s Sandy Constituent Services Office by calling 609- 292-3750 or by emailing sandy.recovery@dca. nj.gov. —P.J. Sailing Record Continued from Page 33 intended to up his endurance. Yet upon coming out of the mental endurance issues, he nearly had an accident involving a tugboat that was pulling a barge. “It nearly ran me down. I was in the wrong; I was in his way,” Suhay said. “Everyone was OK, but it took some time to make sure everything was OK.” Hurricane Arthur also had other plans for Suhay’s world-record attempt. This storm, fast moving and pretty early in the season, caught him by surprise a bit. “The hurricane that moved in wasn’t even on the horizon when I did my planning and left on the trip,” Suhay said. “It was the earliest hurricane to make landfall in the state of North Carolina in recorded history.” Upon the return trip home, Suhay ran into a strong line of thunderstorms near Solomons Island in Maryland. He rode out those storms for about 30 minutes. Then, the Coast Guard paid Suhay a visit. It informed him of another squall line heading in that direction. Members of the Coast Guard also voiced their concerns that Suhay would not be able to make it home before Hurricane Arthur stuck. “I felt really strong, and I was determined to keep going. Though the overriding factor – it was kind of a weird thing – the commander of the little Coast Guard boat said, ‘Hey, you’re heading into a pattern of really bad weather. I understand your wanting to go on, and if you do, I understand. But look, if you get into trouble in the middle of the night, I’m the one who has to come back out here and save ya. You’re putting me in trouble, and I have a wife and kids. I would really appreciate it if you did not put me in that position,’” Suhay said. “It seemed prudent not to put other people in jeopardy at that point.” So, he pulled into Solomons Island, and that was the end of his journey. That put his total nautical mileage up to 283. He admitted he did not want to sail just 1 mile over the record, but that’s what happened. Next up for Suhay: He wants to sail the Laser in the ocean and head one direction. This knocks out a lot of wind concerns with summer’s consistent southern winds. He mentioned Long Island as a possible destination. He hopes to do this next year. Looking more long-term, though, he would like to do solo trans-Atlantic sailing. He hopes this world record can bring some support to that goal – having a team for the Mini Transat, a race from France to the Caribbean with a boat 6.5 meters long. On Nov. 17, the Guinness Book of World Records gave the Suhays a call. Hearing from the Guinness Book of World Records and having his record confirmed was sort of simple affirmation. He had already known the record was his thanks to the GPS unit. When Magellan provided the results, the champagne was poured. However, the Suhays did not want much attention on the matter until the record was confirmed by an independent entity. Lisa felt relieved when the record was made official because she knew how important the feat was to her husband. She said the journey became so important that she wanted it more than any- thing she had ever wanted for herself. When the record was made official, Lisa sat down and cried. “There were a lot of hugs all around,” Suhay said. “Lisa and I had a nice, long hug.” Suhay said he would have been unable to do this without his wife because of her support, from pushing aside fears of sailing’s dangers to acting as her husband’s public relations director. “You couldn’t ask for a better partner,” Suhay said. “I couldn’t have done this without her sup- port for a number of years … and she’s sitting right here.” He also credits all of his friends for their sup- port. To this point, he doesn’t even own a boat. He borrows boats and the associated gear. For this particular journey, Suhay also received sponsor- ship from Magellan, a GPS producer. He said that he did the trip in hopes of inspir- ing his four children. He said upon his return, they were relieved to see him home – “most of them, anyway,” he joked. Lisa believes that the record has also had a positive impact on Suhay’s relationship with their children. She said the kids had sort of viewed Suhay’s passion for distance sailing as something crazy, and did not see the point in doing it. This would translate to family bike rides, when he would motivate them to push their limits, and “what’s the point?” would be the response. She said the record validates that pushing oneself can be rewarding and recognized. “He taught four boys the value of having a goal, and not letting anyone get in the way of you and that goal,” Lisa said. “In 86 hours, he did more parenting than other dads do in a lifetime.” She added that their 10-year-old son now runs with his father. [email protected] Illegal Dumping Continued from Page 26 after two large piles of construction debris were found at Assunpink Wildlife Manage- ment Area in Monmouth County, in Sep- tember. Both pleaded guilty to illegal dumping, and each was fined $1,500, plus $1,000 each in restitution for the cost of the cleanup. The case was investigated by Conservation Officer Shannon Martiak. Robert E. Davis, 41, of New Egypt was charged with illegal dumping of construction and household debris that was found near the Lake Success section of Colliers Mills Wild- life Management Area in Jackson Township, Ocean County, last month. A court hearing for the charges is still pending. Brian K. Rosario, 18, of Egg Harbor Town- ship was charged with illegal dumping of solid waste, particularly a discovery of pressure- treated lumber at Hammonton Creek Wildlife Management Area in Mullica Township, At- lantic County, in July. Rosario pleaded guilty and paid a $500 fine. The case was investigated by Conservation Officer Todd Vazquez. Lyndon Long, 48, of Millville was charged with illegal dumping of construction debris at Makepeace Wildlife Management Area in Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, in July. Long pleaded guilty to the illegal dumping charges and paid a $400 fine. The case was investigated by Vazquez and Conservation Officer Joe Soell. Clarence Mays III, 29, of Hammonton was charged with illegal dumping and dumping of solid waste, also at Makepeace Wildlife Management Area, in connection with con- struction debris that was discovered by Officer Vazquez in June. Mays pleaded guilty and paid a $250 fine. Christopher J. Daraklis, 18, of Absecon was charged with illegal dumping of construc- tion debris at Port Republic Wildlife Manage- ment Area in Atlantic County in September. Daraklis pleaded guilty and was fined $800. Conservation Officer Keith Fox investigated the case. NJDEP spokesman Bob Constantine said there was an up-tick in illegal dumping of construction material that could be related to Superstorm Sandy and the increased construc- tion going on at the shore. “We are investigating any reports of illegal dumping on state lands and have devoted more time and people for investigating the sites. The investigation is as intense as a ‘CSI’ episode, and the officers have a good record of tracing the material to its source.” For more information on state parks, forests and wildlife areas, visit: nj.gov/dep/ parksandforests/ and nj.gov/dep/fgw/ or visit both on Facebook. — Pat Johnson [email protected] Influenza Vaccination Awareness Week from Dec. 7 to 13. Daniel Regenye, the department’s public health coordinator, said it is never too late to get a flu shot, considering the influenza season normally peaks between January and March. It takes about one to two weeks after receiving a shot to build immunity. So mid-December is a fine time indeed to seek a vaccination. They are, of course, available at many drug- stores at a cost of $20 or covered under certain health insurance plans. The OCHD, as well, will be offering a series of make-up flu/pneumonia clinics through December and January. Visit the website at ochd.org to find dates, times and locations. —R.M. Flu Shot Continued from Page 28 the south-central and southeastern states. “In addition, the Temperature Outlook favors warmer-than-average temperatures in the West- ern U.S., extending from the west coast through most of the inter-mountain west and across the U.S.-Canadian border through New York and New England, as well as Alaska and Hawaii.” So where does that leave the mid-Atlantic, including New Jersey? We’re back to 50/50 land. “The rest of the country falls into the ‘equal chance’ category, meaning that there is not a strong enough climate signal for these areas to make a prediction, so they have an equal chance for above-, near-, or below-normal temperatures and/or precipitation.” [email protected] Winter Forecast Continued from Page 34

Transcript of 120314_SP_35

Page 1: 120314_SP_35

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35Mallard IslandContinued from Page 27

“You can’t pin these people together,” Pfei-ffer said. “It’s hard to get a groundswell.”

Therein lies the rub, according to Moran. He sent out a letter to all residents, asking them to grant permission to do some work to existing mosquito ditches, which would usher water out to the bay if they were cleaned out, fi xed up and maintained – but he could not obtain all the necessary approvals. The ditches are long trenches that were dug through the marsh ages ago, though no one knows exactly when, and are long since fi lled in and overgrown.

“We dig it out, and Mother Nature puts it back,” Public Works Manager Dave Garrison said on a recent tour of some of the worst af-fected areas.

The Ocean County Mosquito Extermina-tion Commission has no record of when the ditches were created, or by whom, according to Superintendent Mike Romanowski, though he suggested it might have been a project of the Civilian Conservation Corps during the Great Depression. The mosquito commission has expressed willingness to perform the work to reopen the pathways and keep them operational, but Romanowski said the individual property owners’ approvals via right-of-entry agreements would be required. Next, he said, there would be a complicated permitting process with the state and with the Army Corps of Engineers and, fi nally, the question of, “How would we go about it without making an absolute mess on the roads, with our machinery?”

Whether it’s sea level rise as a result of global warming, or siltation caused by Sandy that has compounded the issues, given the nature of the

beast – “two areas both lying at or below sea level, next to the bay … that’s what it is” – all possible solutions are mediocre at best, he explained.

“I can’t drain the water off into the bay when the bay is up to their bulkheads,” Moran said. And raising the road surface would likely only fl ood other properties with a lower elevation.

In-the-ground utility is problematic in shal-low wetlands. A drain line can also act as a conduit carrying bay water in the wrong direc-tion; digging new trenches is time-consuming and costly; drain boxes can be installed in the roads but they don’t connect to anything; trap rock is one style of ground fi ltration system but in front of a driveway it eventually it gets too compressed to work properly.

In the opinions of Moran and Garrison, short of building up the elevation of the entire area about three feet, no solution will be all that ef-fective or long lasting. No matter how the fl ow of water gets redirected, “You’ve still got the number one ‘enemy,’” Garrison said, pointing at the bay.

“They think this is easy, but they don’t under-stand (the complexities),” Moran said.

Currently the town’s Road Division is con-sidering a plan in certain spots, where it’s pos-sible from an engineering standpoint to change the pitch of the road, improve existing ditches alongside the road and place additional drains where the property owners have given the OK. One such spot is down near the end of Avenue A, where banking the road will allow the water to fl ow off into the adjacent wetlands and not impact any nearby homes. “Otherwise, I’m creating a dam.”

Often, though, “fi xing” the drainage in one place can simply transfer the problem to another place, so piecemeal efforts are only effective to a degree. But taking a wholesale approach can

cost millions, as in Ocean Acres, which doesn’t have an in-ground drainage system. Instead, drain boxes were installed throughout the former pinelands area development and fl oodwater runs to the three retention basins or to Ocean Acres lake or past the Garden State Parkway and out to the cranberry bogs.

“Who’s going to invest the kind of money it would take to raise the roads?” Moran asked.

Pfeiffer is ready to write a check and knows others would be right there with him.

“We’re willing to dig our own ditches if we have to,” Pfeiffer said.

The fl ooding issues are not new, of course. The fi rst structures that were built on the marsh, decades ago, were simple shacks used by fi sher-men and hunters – terms such as “squatters” and

“homesteaders” get bandied about. A few of the original dwellings remain, but most were torn down to make way for larger, more luxurious homes. Lots have been subdivided to allow for more houses. According to Moran, township tax records show Mud City comprises 52 properties; Mallard Island has 356 delineated parcels, but only 149 are improved lots. The rest are likely unbuildable due to wetlands, he said.

Increased development, and increased im-pervious coverage on the properties has only added to the fl ooding over time, Garrison noted.

“Seeking any path” to an improvement for his and his neighbors’ quality of life, Pfeiffer said his next step might involve hiring an envi-ronmental lawyer or reaching out to a county, state or independent engineer for another profes-sional opinion.

In some ways, Pfeiffer said, he and his neighbors feel they are struggling against a misperception about what the Mallard Island community is, and what it could be.

“Yeah, we’re built on marsh. Yeah, we’re raised up. Still, the roads should be passable.”

[email protected]

Health Dept.Continued from Page 31schools or groups – call the above number if interested.

No doubt about it, HIV/AIDS is far from the disease du jour these days, what with Ebola and enterovirus 68. Reconsider the numbers, however. To repeat, approximately 25 million people worldwide have died of AIDS and over a million Americans are infected with HIV. As of Nov. 14, the CDC said the current Ebola outbreak in West Africa had produced 14,413 cases and 5,177 deaths. —R.M.

RREMContinued from Page 32Federal Emergency Management Agency, U.S. Small Business Administration loans or other sources.

Representatives from the DCA’s Sandy Re-covery Division, Housing Recovery Centers, and RREM program managers will be present to answer specifi c questions about the RREM pro-gram. Additionally, representatives of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection and New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs will be available to discuss respectively the federally mandated environmental and historical review and best practices in selecting a reliable contractor to undertake home rebuilding work.

For more information on the session, RREM applicants may contact the DCA’s Sandy Constituent Services Offi ce by calling 609-292-3750 or by emailing [email protected]. —P.J.

Sailing RecordContinued from Page 33

intended to up his endurance. Yet upon coming out of the mental endurance issues, he nearly had an accident involving a tugboat that was pulling a barge.

“It nearly ran me down. I was in the wrong; I was in his way,” Suhay said. “Everyone was OK, but it took some time to make sure everything was OK.”

Hurricane Arthur also had other plans for Suhay’s world-record attempt. This storm, fast moving and pretty early in the season, caught him by surprise a bit.

“The hurricane that moved in wasn’t even on the horizon when I did my planning and left on the trip,” Suhay said. “It was the earliest hurricane to make landfall in the state of North Carolina in recorded history.”

Upon the return trip home, Suhay ran into a strong line of thunderstorms near Solomons Island in Maryland. He rode out those storms for about 30 minutes. Then, the Coast Guard paid Suhay a visit. It informed him of another squall line heading in that direction. Members of the Coast Guard also voiced their concerns that Suhay would not be able to make it home before Hurricane Arthur stuck.

“I felt really strong, and I was determined to keep going. Though the overriding factor – it was kind of a weird thing – the commander of the little Coast Guard boat said, ‘Hey, you’re heading into a pattern of really bad weather. I understand your wanting to go on, and if you do, I understand. But look, if you get into trouble in the middle of the night, I’m the one who has to come back out here and save ya. You’re putting me in trouble, and I have a wife and kids. I would really appreciate it if you did not put me in that position,’” Suhay said. “It seemed prudent not to put other people in jeopardy at that point.”

So, he pulled into Solomons Island, and that was the end of his journey. That put his total nautical mileage up to 283. He admitted he did not want to sail just 1 mile over the record, but that’s what happened.

Next up for Suhay: He wants to sail the Laser in the ocean and head one direction. This knocks out a lot of wind concerns with summer’s consistent southern winds. He mentioned Long Island as a possible destination. He hopes to do this next year. Looking more long-term, though, he would like to do solo trans-Atlantic sailing. He

hopes this world record can bring some support to that goal – having a team for the Mini Transat, a race from France to the Caribbean with a boat 6.5 meters long.

On Nov. 17, the Guinness Book of World Records gave the Suhays a call. Hearing from the Guinness Book of World Records and having his record confi rmed was sort of simple affi rmation. He had already known the record was his thanks to the GPS unit. When Magellan provided the results, the champagne was poured. However, the Suhays did not want much attention on the matter until the record was confi rmed by an independent entity.

Lisa felt relieved when the record was made offi cial because she knew how important the feat was to her husband. She said the journey became so important that she wanted it more than any-thing she had ever wanted for herself. When the record was made offi cial, Lisa sat down and cried.

“There were a lot of hugs all around,” Suhay said. “Lisa and I had a nice, long hug.”

Suhay said he would have been unable to do this without his wife because of her support, from pushing aside fears of sailing’s dangers to acting as her husband’s public relations director.

“You couldn’t ask for a better partner,” Suhay said. “I couldn’t have done this without her sup-port for a number of years … and she’s sitting right here.”

He also credits all of his friends for their sup-port. To this point, he doesn’t even own a boat. He borrows boats and the associated gear. For this particular journey, Suhay also received sponsor-ship from Magellan, a GPS producer.

He said that he did the trip in hopes of inspir-ing his four children. He said upon his return, they were relieved to see him home – “most of them, anyway,” he joked.

Lisa believes that the record has also had a positive impact on Suhay’s relationship with their children. She said the kids had sort of viewed Suhay’s passion for distance sailing as something crazy, and did not see the point in doing it. This would translate to family bike rides, when he would motivate them to push their limits, and “what’s the point?” would be the response. She said the record validates that pushing oneself can be rewarding and recognized.

“He taught four boys the value of having a goal, and not letting anyone get in the way of you and that goal,” Lisa said. “In 86 hours, he did more parenting than other dads do in a lifetime.”

She added that their 10-year-old son now runs with his father.

[email protected]

Illegal DumpingContinued from Page 26

after two large piles of construction debris were found at Assunpink Wildlife Manage-ment Area in Monmouth County, in Sep-tember.

Both pleaded guilty to illegal dumping, and each was fi ned $1,500, plus $1,000 each in restitution for the cost of the cleanup. The case was investigated by Conservation Offi cer Shannon Martiak.

Robert E. Davis, 41, of New Egypt was charged with illegal dumping of construction and household debris that was found near the Lake Success section of Colliers Mills Wild-life Management Area in Jackson Township, Ocean County, last month. A court hearing for the charges is still pending.

Brian K. Rosario, 18, of Egg Harbor Town-ship was charged with illegal dumping of solid waste, particularly a discovery of pressure-treated lumber at Hammonton Creek Wildlife Management Area in Mullica Township, At-lantic County, in July. Rosario pleaded guilty and paid a $500 fi ne. The case was investigated by Conservation Offi cer Todd Vazquez.

Lyndon Long, 48, of Millville was charged with illegal dumping of construction debris at Makepeace Wildlife Management Area in Hamilton Township, Atlantic County, in July. Long pleaded guilty to the illegal dumping

charges and paid a $400 fi ne. The case was investigated by Vazquez and Conservation Offi cer Joe Soell.

Clarence Mays III, 29, of Hammonton was charged with illegal dumping and dumping of solid waste, also at Makepeace Wildlife Management Area, in connection with con-struction debris that was discovered by Offi cer Vazquez in June. Mays pleaded guilty and paid a $250 fi ne.

Christopher J. Daraklis, 18, of Absecon was charged with illegal dumping of construc-tion debris at Port Republic Wildlife Manage-ment Area in Atlantic County in September. Daraklis pleaded guilty and was fi ned $800. Conservation Offi cer Keith Fox investigated the case.

NJDEP spokesman Bob Constantine said there was an up-tick in illegal dumping of construction material that could be related to Superstorm Sandy and the increased construc-tion going on at the shore.

“We are investigating any reports of illegal dumping on state lands and have devoted more time and people for investigating the sites. The investigation is as intense as a ‘CSI’ episode, and the offi cers have a good record of tracing the material to its source.”

For more information on state parks, forests and wildlife areas, visit: nj.gov/dep/parksandforests/ and nj.gov/dep/fgw/ or visit both on Facebook.

— Pat Johnson [email protected]

Infl uenza Vaccination Awareness Week from Dec. 7 to 13.

Daniel Regenye, the department’s public health coordinator, said it is never too late to get a fl u shot, considering the infl uenza season normally peaks between January and March. It takes about one to two weeks after receiving a shot to build immunity. So mid-December is a fi ne time indeed to seek a vaccination.

They are, of course, available at many drug-stores at a cost of $20 or covered under certain health insurance plans. The OCHD, as well, will be offering a series of make-up fl u/pneumonia clinics through December and January. Visit the website at ochd.org to fi nd dates, times and locations. —R.M.

Flu ShotContinued from Page 28

the south-central and southeastern states.“In addition, the Temperature Outlook favors

warmer-than-average temperatures in the West-ern U.S., extending from the west coast through most of the inter-mountain west and across the U.S.-Canadian border through New York and New England, as well as Alaska and Hawaii.”

So where does that leave the mid-Atlantic, including New Jersey? We’re back to 50/50 land.

“The rest of the country falls into the ‘equal chance’ category, meaning that there is not a strong enough climate signal for these areas to make a prediction, so they have an equal chance for above-, near-, or below-normal temperatures and/or precipitation.”

[email protected]

Winter ForecastContinued from Page 34