NJ Weather: Severe Thunderstorms, Strong Winds In Forecast

NEW JERSEY — Severe thunderstorms are expected to move through New Jersey on Wednesday night, bringing damaging wind gusts, heavy rain and hail.

On Wednesday, a hazardous weather outlook was issued for Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Union, Passaic, Warren and Sussex counties through Tuesday of next week. Warren and Sussex counties are also under a thunderstorm watch through 10 p.m. Wednesday.

Scattered severe storms are possible in the northern half of the state after 5 p.m., the National Weather Service said. Some of the storms could produce small hail, gusty winds and heavy rain.

Storms could potentially move south and east during the evening hours as a cold front moves in from the northwest.

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of CT, MA, NJ, NY, PA until 10 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/3MtGDAYsGy
— NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) September 15, 2021

“These storms may also produce locally heavy rainfall and minor flooding (with the flooding threat also confined to northern areas),” the service said.

The main threat with this line of storms will be damaging winds, with the greatest potential along and north of I-78, the service said.

There’s a 40 percent chance of precipitation across South Jersey, according to the National Weather Service. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch are expected, but there could be higher amounts of rain during thunderstorms.

Thursday and Friday may bring more wet weather as showers and thunderstorms are possible through the rest of the week. Highs will reach the upper 70s.

Skies are expected to clear by Saturday with highs in the low 80s.

Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center continue to monitor a tropical disturbance a few hundred miles northeast of the central Bahamas.

According to forecasters with AccuWeather, there’s a chance the disturbance could develop into a tropical depression or storm between Wednesday and Friday. Though the storm is expected to remain far offshore, it could bring rough surf to parts of the coast later this week.

Here’s the latest forecast:

Wednesday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 5 p.m. Partly sunny, with a high near 85. Southwest wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Wednesday Night: Showers and thunderstorms likely before 11 p.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m., then a chance of showers after 2 a.m. Some of the storms could produce small hail, gusty winds, and heavy rain. Cloudy, with a low around 64. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Thursday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. Northeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Friday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. Calm wind becoming east around 5 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Friday Night: A slight chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 65. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high near 80.

Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 62.