National Weather Service says flash flooding could occur in some parts of New Jersey, with heavy rain falling at a rapid rate.
Intense thunderstorms are sweeping across parts of New Jersey Friday evening, packing wind gusts as strong as 50 mph and dumping heavy rain -- and some small hail -- in a short span.
Severe thunderstorm warnings were posted in the late afternoon and early evening for parts of Morris, Warren, Hunterdon, Somerset, Middlesex, Atlantic and Burlington counties, as torrential rain was falling.
A flash-flood warning was issued for Passaic County, effective through 6:45 p.m., and a flash-flood warning is in effect through 9:15 p.m. for parts of Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Somerset and Warren counties.
N.J. heat wave lingers with storm threat
Those counties are getting hit with a cluster of thunderstorms producing very heavy rain, the National Weather Service said, noting up to 2 inches of rain has already fallen and 2 more inches could fall before the storms move out Friday night.
In northern Atlantic County, where 2.5 inches of rain fell during a thunderstorm, a flash-flood warning is in effect until 11:45 p.m. Friday. In central Atlantic and southeastern Burlington, a flash-flood warning is active through 12:15 a.m. Saturday because 2 inches of rain has drenched the area and another 2 inches may be on the way, the weather service said.
Drivers on Route 287 and Interstate 78 in Somerset County were facing torrential downpours at about 5 p.m., and the weather service received reports of downed trees in several Morris County towns, including Chester, Mendham, Mount Olive and Roxbury.
The weather service also received a report of hail three-quarters of an inch in diameter in the Budd Lake section of Mount Olive. And in Readington in Hunterdon County, nearly 2.6 inches of rain fell in one hour.
Stormy weather is expected to linger into late Friday night and early Saturday, with scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms, but the oppressive heat wave will be breaking by Sunday.
Post storm damage. Lots of large branches and trees down. Route 206 mount olive. @GarySzatkowski @NWS_MountHolly pic.twitter.com/yIGbKLdbuL
-- Stu (@Stu03mcss) July 8, 2016
FLASH FLOOD WARNING FOR NJ COUNTIES:E CENTRAL WARREN,NE HUNTERDON,N SOMERSET,SW MORRIS,N CENTRAL MIDDLESEX UNTIL 9PM pic.twitter.com/zcANSmKPXp
-- Storm Team 4 NY (@StormTeam4NY) July 8, 2016
Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.