By Isiah Christie

In the light of New Jersey’s recent issues with erratic weather patterns and unforeseen storms, a major storm system that hit land on Thursday, July 31st has left many cities in disarray due to severe conditions and flooding. The storms were preceded by an official state of emergency warning, with rain quantity hitting over a quarter a foot after the rains started around 2:00 P.M.

Governmental order was issued to citizens with an urgency to stay vigilant, follow safety procedures and monitor weather reports to ensure maximum safety. The attentiveness of New Jersey and New York residents was effective, as no deaths were reported in either state. However, one drowning death was reported in Mount Airy, Maryland.

Among the violent weather patterns were severe thunderstorms, a tornado watch in east-central Somerset County and northeastern Middlesex County, and flooding in multiple cities. It was a major source of concern for certain cities ill-prepared for flooding structurally, such as Plainfield in New Jersey, which had experienced resident deaths from flooding recently.

The weather also affected New York City subways, which are typically prone to error and issues with anything above one inch of rain. The city’s underground railroad was not subject to any suspensions or major changes as a result of the conditions, but it remained an inconvenience for afternoon commuters and a crude reminder of the fragility of these systems when exposed to the essence of Mother Nature.

Thunderstorms were expected to continue into the morning of Friday, August 1st, within expected stoppage by the late morning of that day. New Jersey is not expected to face any other major storm systems for the upcoming weekend and early next week, but the humidity and temperatures will accordingly fluctuate following such an influx of rain. High humidity and a drop in temperature is the expectation, with next week’s lows reaching the 60s.

As these extreme weather patterns continue to torch the state, people are recommended and expected to accordingly act in defense of themselves and others to maximize safety from storms and other damaging conditions.