Flooding Advisory, Hazardous Weather Outlook Issued In Parts Of NJ

NEW JERSEY - Most New Jersey counties are under a hazardous weather outlook Thursday as heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected to bring flooding to some areas, forecasters said.

Storms featuring heavy rain are expected to hit the state Thursday morning mostly before 11 a.m., the National Weather Service said.

The rain should move offshore by mid-morning, with the afternoon forecast appearing to be “rather nice,” the National Weather Service said in a tweet, adding that seasonable highs in the 80s are also expected.

There remains a slight chance of afternoon showers and thunderstorms; that prediction is confined to areas in southeast and northern New Jersey, the Poconos and southern Delaware, the agency said.

“An isolated shower and thunderstorm can’t be ruled out (especially near the coast),” the National Weather Service said in a forecast discussion.

A hazardous weather outlook has been issued for all New Jersey counties including and south of Mercer and Middlesex ahead of the storms, with forecasters primarily warning about flood hazards.

“Minor coastal flooding is possible,” the National Weather Service said in the outlook. “Several instances of flooding are possible, especially in urban and poor-drainage areas and near vulnerable small creeks and streams.”

A coastal flood advisory is also in effect for Hudson, Union and Essex counties from 7 p.m. to midnight on Thursday, with “one to two feet of inundation above ground level expected in vulnerable areas near the waterfront and shoreline,” per the National Weather Service.

“Minor flooding is expected in the most vulnerable locations near the waterfront and shoreline. Expect around 1 to 1 1/2 feet of inundation above ground level in low lying, vulnerable areas. Some roads and low-lying property including parking lots, parks, lawns and homes/businesses with basements near the waterfront will experience shallow flooding.”

Additional minor flooding is likely Friday and Saturday night.

Here’s the latest weather forecast, per the National Weather Service:

Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 11 a.m. High near 88. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph. New precipitation amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 67. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph after midnight.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 83. North wind 5 to 10 mph.

Friday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 60. Calm wind becoming north around 5 mph.

Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 82. North wind around 5 mph.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 59.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 83.

Sunday Night: A chance of showers after 2 a.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64.