TRENTON, New Jersey — The entire state of New Jersey is now under a flood watch, and forecasters are urging residents to take the next 48 hours seriously.
The National Weather Service expanded the watch to cover all counties, running through 8 p.m. Monday. Officials say there is high confidence that flash flooding will develop across the state.
“Rainfall rates greater than 2 inches per hour are possible,” the weather service warned.
What to Expect and When
Sunday morning will start with a few isolated showers. But the serious threat begins in the mid-to-late afternoon, once temperatures climb into the upper 80s to mid-90s and storm cells begin to fire up.
Some areas could see 3 to 4 inches of rain falling within just a few hours. That is enough to flood roads quickly, overwhelm storm drains, and make driving extremely dangerous.
Most of the state south of I-78 is under a slight risk, level 2 of 5, for severe thunderstorms.
Power Outages Could Get Much Worse
More than 120,000 New Jersey homes and businesses were already without power as of Sunday morning — a result of this weekend’s storms and extreme heat.
The afternoon storms are expected to bring damaging wind gusts, downed trees, and snapped power lines. That means the outage count could climb even higher, and already-stretched utility crews could face new setbacks.
Heat advisories and air quality alerts remain in effect for much of the state, adding another layer of risk for those without air conditioning.
Monday Is Not a Break
Temperatures will ease slightly Monday, with highs in the upper 70s and low 80s. But the storms are not done.
Heavy showers and thunderstorms are expected to return Monday afternoon, with widespread flash flooding possible once again.
“Impacts from flash flooding could be significant over the next couple of days,” the weather service said.
The heaviest rain should begin to taper off Monday night. Some showers may linger into Tuesday.
When Does It End?
Drier and more comfortable conditions are expected to arrive by Wednesday, with mainly clear skies in the forecast.
Until then — stay off flooded roads, charge your devices now, and check on neighbors who may still be without power.
Are you seeing flooding or outages in your town? Drop your location in the comments and let your neighbors know what conditions look like on the ground.
