Heavy Rainfall Prompts Flooding In NJ; More Rain Expected Saturday

NEW JERSEY - Heavy downpours in Central Jersey prompted power outages and water rescues Friday night, according to reports, with additional rounds of storms expected this weekend.

Friday’s thunderstorms most heavily impacted Ocean County, which saw over 9,000 residents without power at one point as traffic lights went dark, basements flooded and roads were deemed impassable, according to News12.

According to state Department of Environmental Protection data, Lakewood saw over four inches of rainfall in a 24-hour period, while some spots of Mercer County near Ewing as well as the Pine Barrens saw over two inches of precipitation.

As of Saturday at noon, only 34 households in Ocean County were left without power. Around 722 Monmouth County residents (719 of those in Keyport) are still left in the dark, per JCP&L.

Police also told News12 they made “numerous” rescues of stranded motorists; it was not immediately clear when and where the rescues were made.

Additional storms are expected to hit the Garden State mainly between 2 and 7 p.m. on Saturday, following a humid, scorching morning, per AccuWeather.

“Hot and humid again today, with isolated to scattered PM showers and t-storms. The heat index will be very near 100 degrees this afternoon for several areas,” the National Weather Service tweeted Saturday. Even more rounds of storms are possible on Sunday and Monday, albeit with slimmer chances, the agency said.

9 counties will also be under a heat advisory through 8 p.m. Sunday as heat index (“feels-like”) values can soar up to 102 degrees, the agency added. The affected counties are:

• Somerset
• Middlesex
• Monmouth
• Mercer
• Salem
• Gloucester
• Camden
• Ocean
• Burlington

“Peak heat index values are forecast to approach 100 today and they are expected to reach 100 to 102 on Sunday,” the agency wrote. “Low temperatures should favor the 70s, providing little relief from the heat at night.”

Here's the latest forecast, per the National Weather Service:

Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 90. Southwest wind around 10 mph.

Saturday Night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 7 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

Sunday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 91. Heat index values as high as 101. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 74. Southwest wind around 5 mph.

Monday: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 93. Southwest wind 5 to 10 mph.

Monday Night: A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 2 a.m. Partly cloudy, with a low around 75.