Debby's Track Shifts: Latest On Impacts To PA

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Forecasters are getting a clearer picture on the impacts tropical storm Debby will have in Eastern Pennsylvania, and when we can expect it to arrive.

On Tuesday, the National Weather Service reported it was uncertain exactly when Debby would pass north through the region; new estimates released Wednesday indicate the track has shifted slightly west.

Residents across Eastern Pennsylvania can expect the brunt of the storm to pass through the region Friday. Sunshine is expected as early as Saturday afternoon.

Conditions will remain very wet across the Philadelphia area through the beginning of the weekend, however.

"Much of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, especially from central Pennsylvania to upstate New York and Vermont, is also under a heightened flood risk Friday," according to The Weather Channel.

Areas from Maryland to Vermont could see 2 to 4 inches of rain, with local amounts up to 6 inches, The Weather Channel predicts.

The potential for heavy rain and flash flooding "continues daily" into the weekend with Friday looking like the "greatest concern," the National Weather Service said in its latest briefing. River flooding is possible by the weekend, the agency warns.

Debby, which made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane earlier this week, is currently hovering over the Atlantic, offshore from South Carolina. It is currently traveling northeastward at 4 miles per hour, according to CBS. "A second landfall in South Carolina was forecast to happen by Wednesday night or Thursday morning," forecasters with CBS said.

AccuWeather predicts this positioning over the Atlantic will allow Debby to maintain some strength and possibly strengthen for a time "before steering breezes finally pick the storm up later Thursday and begin to accelerate the storm to the north and northeast later this week and this weekend," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said.

The faster movement could limit direct rainfall from the storm to a day rather than two to three days from northern Virginia to New England, AccuWeather predicts. But given the extensive rain in the days preceding the storm's arrival, the region will be saturated and flooding is a still a concern.

Here is the local forecast:

Today: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 75. Northeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tonight: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 64. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 7am. Cloudy, with a high near 75. East wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 71. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Friday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 81. Southeast wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Friday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 70. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Saturday: Showers likely, mainly before 8 a.m. Mostly sunny, with a high near 82. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent.

Saturday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 61.