últimas notícias

Keep those raincoats handy, and watch out for falling tree branches.

Forecasters say a storm system pushing in from the south and west will be bringing periods of heavy rain and fierce winds to New Jersey on Friday, and the storm will likely linger into Saturday afternoon.

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for immediate coastal areas of Cape May County, where powerful gusts as high as 60 mph are possible and “widespread power outages are expected.”

In addition, a wind advisory was posted Thursday night for all sections of Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties, where steady winds of 20 to 30 mph are expected on Friday and gusts could get as strong as 50 mph at times, causing scattered power outages.

The weather service also has upgraded a series of coastal flood watches to coastal flood warnings along the Atlantic Ocean, Delaware Bay and Delaware River areas of Burlington, Camden, Cape May, Cumberland, Gloucester, Mercer and Salem counties.

Here’s what forecasters are expecting in terms of rainfall totals, wind strength, coastal flooding and the potential for flash flooding on roads and highways.

When will the storm arrive?

It should be calm and quiet Friday morning across most of the state, with mostly cloudy skies, a slight breeze and temperatures in the mid-50s. Light rain showers should start moving in from the south and west in the early afternoon, but the rain will likely get heavier Friday evening and Friday night and continue at times Saturday morning and Saturday afternoon.

How much rain will fall?

The weather service is predicting an average of 1 to 1.5 inches of rain across New Jersey, with lower amounts in far southern counties and some pockets of 2 to 3 inches in northern and central sections of the state.

How strong will the winds get?

Winds out of the east will be blowing at 15 to 30 mph during the afternoon on Friday, and gusts are expected to get stronger in the evening — as high as 40 mph in coastal areas of Monmouth and Ocean counties and as high as 50 mph in coastal areas of Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties, and possibly as high as 60 mph along the immediate coast of Cape May County.

Gusts up to 30 to 35 mph are expected in most interior sections of New Jersey. (see forecast map above)

Have any warnings or advisories been issued?

A wind advisory has been issued for Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland counties, effective from 11 a.m. Friday to 11 p.m. Friday, and a high wind warning has been issued for the immediate coast of Cape May.

Forecasters say tree limbs could be snapped, power outages are possible and driving could become difficult at times in areas where the strongest winds are blowing on Friday.

Is flooding a threat from this storm?

The weather service is calling for moderate coastal flooding along the Atlantic Ocean in Cape May County as well as along the Delaware Bay and along the Delaware River from Trenton south.

A coastal flood warning is active from 6 p.m. Friday through 1 a.m. Saturday, with forecasters predicting 1 to 2 feet of inundation above ground level in low-lying areas near shorelines and tidal waterways. Most of the flooding will occur on Friday, but it could continue into Saturday.

Minor tidal flooding is expected along the Jersey Shore in Monmouth, Ocean and Atlantic, and near Raritan Bay in Middlesex County from 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Friday.

In addition to the coastal flooding, forecasters are concerned that Friday’s waves of rain combined with the heavy rain from the recent nor’easter will boost the possibility of stream and river flooding — especially in the Raritan and Passaic river basins.

Latest watches, warnings and advisories

For the latest weather watches, warnings and advisories across New Jersey, check the National Weather Service alert page, which is updated as new alerts are issued and older ones are canceled.

Current weather radar

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Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com.