By MADDY VITALE
There weren’t many people out and about in Ocean City on Saturday as more than two inches of rain pelted the roadways, the Boardwalk and the rest of the island.
The weekend storm predicted to dump more than two inches of rain on the resort delivered.
In addition to the drenching rain on the first weekend of spring, came the wind gusts in excess of 40 mph. The air temp, however, stayed mild in the low 50s in the afternoon.
Ocean City Emergency Management Director Frank Donato said the resort got about two inches of rain as of 1 p.m. Saturday and more was on its way.
Donato noted that there was “another hour or two before it pulls off the coast. At which point, the winds will shift out of the north and it’ll remain cold.”
There was some positive news in this coastal storm. There wasn’t much — if any — flooding. Streets were clear Saturday afternoon, even in areas where water pools with typically heavy rain, such as the block around the bus terminal at 945 Haven Ave.
Donato said all and all, despite being another nuisance rainstorm in March, “there was nothing else to report.”
“All is quiet,” he said. “It is a great day for people to remain indoors.”
For those who opted to go out, it was a mad dash in and out of stores in the downtown. Visitors donned umbrellas, rain gear and boots to shield themselves from what seemed to be a never-ending onslaught of rain.
The Boardwalk at Ninth Street, typically a hub of activity virtually year-round, was more like a ghost town at the height of the storm in the early afternoon.
The storm was no surprise to anyone who keeps up on the weather through notifications by the city.
Much of South Jersey was warned of the impending storm earlier in the week. On Thursday, Ocean City put out an alert that forecasters predicted a widespread storm system to cross the region over the weekend.
Rainfall amounts of 2.5 inches to 3.5 inches were expected, according to the forecast from the National Weather Service.
Sunday is forecast to be clear and windy. There is still, however, a potential for flooding in some areas of South Jersey, including Ocean City.
The National Weather Service issued a flood watch for the shore until 2 p.m. Tuesday.
Ocean City officials continue to urge residents and visitors to stay apprised of the weather and to be prepared to move vehicles during storms.
The roads closer to the beach, including Central and Wesley avenues, are at higher elevation. Parking at all municipal lots is free.
During storms, parking is available at the Trinity United Methodist Church at 20 North Shore Road in Marmora (please read letter from Trinity if you take advantage of this service).
For Police and Fire Department emergencies, call 911. For non-emergencies, call 609-399-9111.
