Weather

NJ Weather: Timeline For Possible Severe Storms; What To Expect

Here's what to expect as more storms are expected to rear their ugly head in New Jersey.

The forecast has changed slightly, but the result is expected to be the same: Potentially damaging storms are expected to hit New Jersey on Friday and this weekend. We have provided a timeline.

As the state continues to recover from severe weather that plunged streets and homes underwater, more of the same is expected to arrive as early as Friday afternoon and evening and continue into Saturday and Sunday.

Find out what's happening in Paramuswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

This won't be welcome news to many areas that are still underwater, four days after storms flooded roads, sent cars floating down a river and left a general mess. Read more: 4 Days Later, Monmouth Still Is A Flooded Mess: What's Next?

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather outlook for the whole state, saying showers and thunderstorms on Friday afternoon or evening will be capable of very heavy downpours. This could lead to localized flash flooding, especially in poor drainage areas and locations that already have saturated ground.

Find out what's happening in Paramuswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Here is what to expect, specifically, and a timeline:

  • Rain is supposed to begin falling in possibly all areas of New Jersey after 3 p.m.
  • Nearly a quarter-of-an-inch of rain is supposed to fall between 8 p.m. Friday and 1 a.m. Saturday
  • Rain will then taper off ... until 8 p.m. Saturday, when it's supposed to pick up again.
  • Rain is supposed to soak New Jersey through Sunday.
  • While the risk of flash flooding remains the greatest risk to lives and property, locally severe thunderstorms will bring the potential for falling trees and power outages, according to AccuWeather.
  • Trees have been drawing a great deal of moisture up their trunk and limb systems because of the above-normal rainfall. Many trees may be top-heavy as a result, according to AccuWeather.
  • There is a chance the thunderstorms will be more robust than the garden variety summer storm and may occur on a more regional basis into Friday night, according to AccuWeather.
  • Some of the stronger storms may bring gusts in the neighborhood of 30-50 mph, with a few gusts past 50 mph possible, according to AccuWeather. The anticipated gusts are strong enough to topple weakly rooted trees and break diseased or stressed tree limbs.
  • Fallen tree limbs may block streets and secondary roads in some neighborhoods and rural areas, according to AccuWeather. Where utility lines run through wooded areas, localized power outages can occur.
  • Flash flooding remains a serious threat
  • In large portions of New York state, Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey, northern Maryland, northwestern Virginia and West Virginia, a mere 0.50 to 1 inch of rain in three hours can trigger flash flooding, according to AccuWeather.

Not all areas may be impacted by the storm's worst impacts, however.

Here is the forecast:

  • Friday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 3pm. Some storms could be severe, with damaging winds and heavy rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 86. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
  • Friday night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1am. Some storms could be severe, with damaging winds and heavy rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
  • Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. West wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
  • Saturday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Northwest wind around 9 mph becoming northeast after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
  • Sunday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. Northeast wind around 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
  • Sunday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tom Davis photo


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