70 MPH Gusts, Hail, Frequent Lightning Possible In Gloucester County Storm

Update, 11:56 a.m. Friday: A severe thunderstorm warning has extended into all of Gloucester County, in effect through 12:45 p.m. Friday. The National Weather Service warned of 60 mph gusts and quarter-sized hail.

Minor damage to vehicles is possible, along with wind damage to roofs, siding, trees and power lines.

GLOUCESTER COUNTY, NJ — Weather officials placed Gloucester County under a severe thunderstorm watch on Friday.

The watch, issued at 11:05 a.m., remains in effect through 6 p.m. Friday. Potential threats include frequent lightning, scattered gusts of up 70 mph and scattered hail the size of ping-pong balls, according to the National Weather Service.

The federal agency also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for northwestern Gloucester County, which doesn't include West Deptford, in effect until noon Friday.

The agency's Philadelphia/Mount Holly office issued the severe thunderstorm watch for Central and South Jersey, along with parts of Delaware, Maryland and Pennsylvania.

In the thunderstorm warning, officials said they detected severe thunderstorms moving east at 35 mph in Chester County, Pennsylvania —Elverson to "near" Coatesville to "near" Kemblesville, according to the National Weather Service.

The warning applies to northwestern Gloucester County and northwest Salem County. Minor damage to vehicles is possible — as is wind damage to roofs, siding, trees and power lines.

Here's the National Weather Service's Gloucester County forecast as of 11:30 a.m. Friday:

• Rest of the day Friday: Partly sunny late this morning. A chance of showers and thunderstorms late this morning, then showers with a chance of thunderstorms this afternoon. Some thunderstorms may be severe with damaging winds and large hail this afternoon. Highs around 80. Temperature falling into the lower 70s this afternoon. South winds 5 to 10 mph, becoming east this afternoon. Chance of rain near 100 percent.
• Friday night: Mostly cloudy. Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly in the evening. Patchy fog. Some thunderstorms may produce damaging winds and large hail in the evening. Lows around 60. East winds around 5 mph, becoming northwest after midnight. Chance of rain 70 percent.
• Saturday: Mostly sunny. Patchy fog in the morning. Highs around 80. Northwest winds 10 to 15 mph.