Flash Flood Warning In South Jersey For Thunderstorms, Heavy Rain

SOUTH JERSEY — Portions of inland South Jersey were placed under a flash flood warning Wednesday afternoon, with officials expecting thunderstorms and heavy rain.

The warning is in effect until 4:15 p.m. Wednesday for northwestern Camden County and west-central Burlington County. It also includes northern Philadelphia and south-central Montgomery County, Pennsylvania, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

Weather officials detected thunderstorms producing heavy rain across the warning area just after noon Wednesday. A half-inch to an inch of rain has fallen, with storms expected to produce 1 to 2 inches of precipitation per hour, the NWS said.

The agency expects an additional half-inch or inch of rain to fall overall.

Impacted locations include the Ben Franklin Bridge and communities near the Delaware River, the NWS said. Urban areas, highways, underpasses, areas near small creeks and stream, and other poor-drainage and low-lying areas are especially susceptible, the warning says.

If you're driving and see flooded roads, turn around. Most flood deaths occur in vehicles, the NWS says.

Here's the NWS's latest forecast for inland South Jersey:

• Wednesday afternoon: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, mainly before 5 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 85. South wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Wednesday night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms before 2 a.m., then isolated showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. Southwest wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Thursday: A chance of showers before 11 a.m., then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 86. Calm wind becoming west around 5 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Thursday night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 8 p.m. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly clear, with a low around 69. West wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 86. Northwest wind around 5 mph.