Hurricane Ian: How Could The Storm Impact NJ?

NEW JERSEY - Devastating wind damage, life-threatening storm surges, and flash floods are expected in Florida later in the day on Tuesday as Hurricane Ian barrels toward the southeastern U.S. states and is likely to upgrade to a Category 4 storm, according to the National Hurricane Center.

But will New Jersey ever see the impacts of the fierce weather system?

Forecasters across the board say it’s too early to be certain, but experts at the National Weather Service say heavy rainfall may be possible when the storm system reaches the mid-Atlantic.

“The remnant low of what is currently Hurricane Ian may affect the area next weekend,” the National Weather Service Mount Holly station said in a Tuesday morning forecast discussion.

The week is slated to be mostly clear with temperatures in the low- to mid-70s, but the second half of the weekend and start of the following week will be highly dependent on the track of what is currently Hurricane Ian, forecasters said.

See full coverage of Hurricane Ian here.

AccuWeather meteorologists are currently monitoring the forward speed of Ian after landfall in Florida, which may determine its path in the rest of the U.S.

"Ian will slow down over the Southeast states, but as long as it maintains some forward speed, rainfall will be heavy but not over the top," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said. "However, if Ian stalls over the Southeast for a day or two, there is the potential for much heavier rainfall to fall over a broad area, including interior locations."

According to the latest AccuWeather model, most of New Jersey is slated to see downpours with possible flooding in the heaviest rain, gusty winds and beach erosion.

As of Tuesday morning, the weekend’s forecast calls for a chance of rain with partly cloudy skies and highs hovering around 70 degrees – but that could all change with Ian’s trajectory as it spins up the eastern seaboard.

“There is the potential for [high pressure] redevelopment offshore which would result in rain and gusty winds by Monday,” the National Weather Service's forecast discussion reads. “However, there is little consensus among the long-term models.”

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

Tuesday: Partly sunny, then gradually becoming sunny, with a high near 75. West wind 5 to 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Tuesday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 48. West wind around 5 mph.

Wednesday: Sunny, with a high near 71. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 49. North wind around 5 mph.

Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 70. North wind 5 to 10 mph.

Thursday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 46.

Friday: Partly sunny, with a high near 70.

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 51.

Saturday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 71. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Saturday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Sunday: A chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 70. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Sunday Night: A chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 54. Chance of precipitation is 40%.