New Jersey Governor Chris Christie on Friday afternoon said that preparations are continuing to deal with the effects of Hurricane Joaquin, but the threat is diminishing.
The hurricane continues to track east, and is not seen making landfall on the East Coast, Christie said, citing reports by the National Weather Service.
"If the track continues the way it is now, we're not going to have any major impact on the Jersey shoreline," he said during a news conference held around high tide in Sea Isle City.
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Still, the storm will be felt in shore towns in South Jersey, with moderate-to-major coastal flooding and significant beach erosion expected due to waves of 6 to 10 feet, and maybe as high as 16 feet, Christie said.
Christie said one lesson from Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall in 2012 along the Jersey coast, was the need for all residents to be prepared ahead of the storm.
"Be ready and prepared to respond to flooding or loss of power," Christie told residents. He asked those who have generators to brush up on their safe operation.
Christie said he and officials were then headed to Toms River to assess preparations there.