Atlantic City, N.J. — A dangerous combination of damaging wind and Arctic cold surges into the Mid-Atlantic commuter shed Saturday, hammering U.S. 13 from Wilmington through Dover and into coastal New Jersey while crosswinds batter the Garden State Parkway from Atlantic City to Cape May. The highest risk window runs from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. Saturday, when northwest gusts spike near 60 mph, before extreme cold tightens its grip Saturday night.
The National Weather Service in Mount Holly said a High Wind Warning covers coastal and southern New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore through Saturday evening, followed by an Extreme Cold Warning from mid-afternoon Saturday through 10 a.m. Sunday. Wind chills drop as low as 14 below zero near the coast and plunge into the 20s below inland, creating hypothermia risk if power outages or vehicle breakdowns occur.
Transportation officials warned that high-profile vehicles face severe difficulty along U.S. 13, U.S. 40, Route 50 and the Garden State Parkway, especially on open marshland stretches and bridge approaches where crosswinds peak. Gusts strong enough to down trees and power lines reduce visibility with blowing debris, while bitter cold stiffens pavement and lengthens braking distances.
The most dangerous impacts target Wilmington, Dover, Georgetown, Rehoboth Beach and Ocean City, Delaware; Atlantic City, Hammonton, Millville, Cape May Court House and Long Beach Island in New Jersey; and Easton and Chestertown on Maryland’s Eastern Shore. Inland trouble spots extend into Philadelphia, Camden, Trenton, Allentown and Reading, where wind advisories combine with falling temperatures.
Officials urged residents to secure loose objects, avoid unnecessary travel during peak winds and prepare for outages. Winds ease late Saturday night, but extreme cold persists into Sunday morning before temperatures slowly rebound, ending the most dangerous exposure threat across the coastal corridor.
