The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm alert for all 21 New Jersey counties, saying conditions are favorable for storms with damaging winds and heavy rains to develop during Wednesday afternoon and evening.
The watch, issued shortly before 3 p.m. M. From Wednesday, it is effective until 10 p.m. M. And it also includes New York City and Philadelphia.
Earlier this afternoon, a severe thunderstorm warning was issued in parts of Warren County in northwestern New Jersey and also in northeast Pennsylvania. But that warning expired around 2:50 pm
A new thunderstorm warning was issued at 3:05 pm for Sussex County, and forecasters said a strong storm cell was moving into that region of the state with quarter-size hail and gusts of wind up to 70 mph. The National Weather Service said this cell is capable of producing an isolated tornado, but no funnel clouds have been seen.
Sussex’s warning expires at 3:45 pm
UPDATE (3:50 pm): A severe storm warning was issued for southwest Morris County, northeast Hunterdon County, south-central Sussex County, and central Warren County, effective until 4:30 pm southwest of Newton, and moving east at 25 mph. This cell produces gusts of 70 mph and quarter-size hail.
UPDATE (5 pm): A severe storm warning was issued for southwest Morris County, northeast Hunterdon County, and northern Somerset County, effective until 5:45 pm
Forecasters say some of the thunderstorms unfolding tonight could generate torrential downpours, frequent lightning, large hail, and damaging gusts of wind of 60 mph or more.
The threat of stormy weather comes on another steamy day during New Jersey’s longest summer heat wave, with temperatures rising again to 90 degrees on Wednesday and oppressive humidity making it feel as hot as 100 degrees or more.
Intense heat and high humidity are helping to add more power to thunderstorms that have been moving east from Pennsylvania and Maryland, forecasters said.
A heat advisory is in effect for central and southern New Jersey until 8 pm on Wednesday, except in areas near the coast. Lows will fall in the 1970s at night, with as much rain as possible.
Thursday and Friday will be similar to Wednesday, sunny and hot with the threat of showers or thunderstorms. Thursday’s highs are forecast to hit 80s above 90s, while Friday could be the first day of a week that no place in the state reaches 90 degrees. Friday’s highs are expected to be in the upper 80s.
Live weather radar
New tropical storms form in the Atlantic
A small tropical depression in the tropical Atlantic turned into tropical storm Gonzalo on Wednesday morning, and forecasters say it could become the first hurricane of the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season on Thursday.
As of 11 a.m. Wednesday, Gonzalo was located about 1,200 miles east of the South Windward Islands and was accumulating maximum sustained winds of 50 mph, the National Hurricane Center said. The storm was moving west at a rate of 14 mph.
Tropical storm Gonzalo formed in the tropical Atlantic on Wednesday July 22, and forecasters say it could become a hurricane on Thursday.National Hurricane Center
“A general move westward at a faster forward speed is expected in the coming days,” the hurricane center said in a public notice. “Further strengthening is forecast over the next few days, and Gonzalo is expected to become a hurricane on Thursday. Gonzalo is a small tropical cyclone, as tropical storm force winds extend outward only up to 25 miles from the center. “
Forecasters are also monitoring a group of disorganized thunderstorms in the eastern Gulf of Mexico that has a 40% chance of becoming a tropical depression or tropical storm over the next two days.
Meteorological experts say Gonzalo is the first storm “G” in the Atlantic hurricane basin, the seventh named storm on record. On average, the Atlantic sees its seventh named storm in mid-September.
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