Strong thunderstorms are continuing to sweep across eastern Pennsylvania and into parts of New Jersey Sunday afternoon, prompting the National Weather Service to issue severe thunderstorm warnings and flash flood warnings for several counties.
The first thunderstorm warnings, issued shortly before 2 p.m. for Sussex and Warren counties, were effective through 2:45 p.m. Sunday. Another warning covers parts of Morris, Sussex and Warren counties and was effective through 3 p.m.
A new warning covering parts of Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties, was effective through 3:45 p.m. Sunday. (See the latest warnings listed below.)
The weather service said storm cells are moving through northern and central New Jersey and generating wind gusts as strong as 50 to 60 mph, which could knock down trees and power lines or cause structural damage.
Eighteen of the state’s 21 counties are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 7 p.m. Sunday because of the threat of severe storms developing as a cold front moves through and interacts with hot and humid air. Three counties — Atlantic, Cape May and Cumberland — are under a severe thunderstorm watch through 11 p.m. Sunday.
Forecasters say they can’t rule out the possibility of an isolated tornado forming during the intense thunderstorms because of the high humidity and wind shear in the atmosphere.
Latest N.J. weather alerts
Here are the latest weather alerts issued by the National Weather Service on Sunday. (The newest ones are listed on top.)
A flash flood warning was issued for northeastern Middlesex County, south-central Morris County, central Somerset County and central Hunterdon County at about 4:55 p.m., effective until 7:45 p.m., because of heavy rain that has been falling from thunderstorms.
Heavy rainfall totals in N.J.
Some areas of New Jersey were saturated with a full month and a half worth of rain in less than eight hours on Sunday as thunderstorms and heavy pockets of rain moved across the region. These are among the preliminary rainfall totals reported by the Rutgers NJ Weather Network between 4 a.m. and 11 a.m.
- 6.44 inches in Dennis Township, Cape May County
- 6.24 inches in Woodbine, Cape May County
- 3.88 inches in Cape May Court House, Cape May County
- 2.42 inches in Fortescue, Cumberland County
- 1.83 inches in Hammonton, Atlantic County
Current weather radar
Stories by Len Melisurgo
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Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com or on X at @LensReality.