The calendar flipped to meteorological winter Tuesday, and the atmosphere is going all in. A strong storm system could drench the coastal Mid-Atlantic and Northeast with a soaking shot of rainfall late Friday night into Saturday, while inland areas risk being blanketed by the first big snow of the season.
A flash flood warning is in effect this evening through Tuesday afternoon in all New Jersey counties except Cumberland, Gloucester and Salem.
Storm watchers are particularly concerned about flooding in Bergen, Essex, Passaic, Union, and Hudson counties.
About three inches of rain is expected, which could lead to flash flooding of New Jersey creeks, streams, urban areas, and locations with poor drainage.
The impending storm’s exact track and impacts are far from worked out, despite our being less than two days from its arrival. One thing is clear, though: The system will contain a prodigious amount of moisture.
Governor Phil Murphy declared a State of Emergency effective at 8:00pm in preparation for the storm forecasted to impact the state with severe weather conditions starting tonight, Monday, October 25, through the next several days.
“The anticipated Nor’easter storm is forecasted to bring significant flash flooding, coastal flooding, and wind gusts across New Jersey,” said Murphy. “Residents should stay off the roads, remain vigilant, and follow all safety protocols.”
The anticipated storm is forecasted to bring significant flash flooding, coastal flooding, and wind gusts across New Jersey.
Residents should stay off the roads, remain vigilant, and follow all safety protocols. Residents should pay attention to local forecasts, warnings, and watches.
The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm warning for southern New Jersey until 8:15 p.m.
The warning also covers areas in portions of Pennsylvania and northern Delaware.
Among the communities that could be affected are Camden, Collingswood and Philadelphia, according to forecasters at the National Weather Service’s bureau in Mount Holly, N.J.
There could be 60 mph gusts causing damage to roofs, siding, trees and power lines.
The mid-Atlantic coast from Boston to Washington, D.C., could see excessive rainfall from the system, with two inches or more of water likely for some.
Daily rainfall records could be challenged or broken, and there’s a chance Saturday could become a top-five wettest December day in a few cities.
The ingredients for Saturday’s storm system were already beginning to converge Thursday, their delicate overlap key to tapping into the atmosphere’s power.
An area of low pressure was rolling along the Oklahoma-Kansas border toward the Ozarks after bringing as much as 10 inches of snow in northwest Oklahoma, while another disturbance was sagging south out of Ontario.
The two will probably “phase,” or overlap, early Saturday, their forces combining into a more significant storm system.
“An early-season tempest could bring a wind-driven, chilly rain to portions of the Northeast from Monday through Wednesday,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Randy Adkins said, adding that flooding could be a significant concern across southern New England.
Heavy rain will move into the New York City area Monday evening before it pushes into central and southern New England where it will continue to unload rain on Tuesday. The intense rainfall could result in flooding issues in low-lying and poor drainage areas. The rain is forecast to diminish in intensity by Wednesday morning, but some light rainfall could persist throughout the day near the coasts.
A nor’easter is any large storm that brings northeasterly winds along the Atlantic coast of North America, according to the National Weather Service. They tend to strengthen as they move northeastward along a strong temperature contrast zone, or a cold front, in the eastern U.S.
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