Thunderstorms, Heavy Rain, Strong Winds Expected In NJ Friday

NEW JERSEY — A fast-moving weather system is expected to bring rain showers and gusty winds of up to 30 mph to New Jersey throughout Friday morning, forecasters say.

Showers with periods of heavy rain and strong wind gusts could linger until early Friday afternoon, the National Weather Service said Thursday. There’s also a chance of an isolated thunderstorm with damaging winds.

While the rain is poised to impact the Friday morning commute, the skies are expected to clear up by noon. In northeastern New Jersey, showers could last later until 1 p.m. or 2 p.m.

South Jersey could see a half-inch to an inch of rain, while as much as 1.5 inches could fall on Sussex County, the weather service said. Flooding is possible in low-lying areas with poor drainage. Gusts bringing down brush could clog local drainage systems.

“With it being leaf-drop season, please clear your drains if they are blocked! Also be wary of ponding and wet leaves on roadways if you'll be out driving,” the service said.

Another round of light showers is in the forecast for most of the state on Saturday afternoon after 1 p.m. Skies are expected to clear by the evening leading into Sunday, which should be dry and mostly sunny, forecasters said.

As a cold front sweeps in, temperatures are expected to drop throughout the weekend, forecasters said. Finishing out the past week of mild weather, Friday will see a high near 65 degrees. Overnight temperatures could be in the low 40s.

Then Saturday's daytime high is expected to drop down to 59 degrees and Sunday's high could be nearly 10 degrees cooler with temperatures in the high 40s. Wind gusts up to 40 to 45 mph are also expected, per the National Weather Service.

Here’s the latest forecast:

Friday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 2 p.m., then showers likely. Some of the storms could produce gusty winds and heavy rain. High near 67. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 42. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.

Saturday: A chance of showers after 1 p.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 62. Winds could gust as high as 25 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 33. West wind 5 to 15 mph.

Sunday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 50. West wind 5 to 10 mph.

Sunday Night: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 36. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.