Severe thunderstorm watch, flash flood watch in effect until Tuesday night
A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for Mercer, Middlesex, Hunterdon and Somerset counties until 8 p.m. Monday night. This means conditions are favorable for the development of severe thunderstorms in and close to the watch area. A severe thunderstorm can produce hail up to an inch in diameter and/or winds up to 60 miles an hour or more.
The peak time for storms would be between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. in our area. Rain may linger into the evening and then Tuesday is expected to be less humid.
A flash flood watch is in effect until midnight for central, northern and southwestern New Jersey, southeastern Pennsylvania, northern Delaware and northeastern Maryland. Showers and thunderstorms this afternoon and this evening could include torrential downpours. Rainfall amounts of 1 to 2 inches are possible with localized totals of 3 to 5 inches possible. The bulk of the rainfall amounts could fall in a very short period. The heaviest rain will likely fall during the late afternoon and evening. Flash flooding of creeks, streams and roadways is possible, especially in urban and poor drainage areas, according to the National Weather Service. A Flash Flood Watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. Flash flooding is a very dangerous situation.
Krystal Knapp is the founding editor of Planet Princeton. Follow her on Twitter @krystalknapp. She can be reached via email at editor AT planetprinceton.com. Send all letters to the editor and press releases to that email address.