A bomb cyclone storm fueled by an “atmospheric river” of moisture could hit New Jersey with thunderstorms, heavy rain and wind gusts up to 50 mph on Wednesday, according to the latest forecasts.
National Weather Service forecasters are calling for up to 2 inches of much-needed rain before the storm pushes out of the area late Wednesday.
“Locally severe thunderstorms can occur on Wednesday in the coastal Northeast with the possibility of a few tornadoes in part of the mid-Atlantic,” AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno said.
The storm is expected to become a “bomb cyclone,” a storm system that rapidly strengthens as cold air collides with warm air and the storm’s atmospheric pressure drops. The intensification process is technically called bombogenesis, which is how the term bomb cyclone originated. A storm can be classified as a bomb cyclone when its central pressure crashes 0.71 of an inch of mercury in 24 hours or less, according to AccuWeather.
A bomb cyclone storm fueled by an “atmospheric river” of moisture from the Caribbean Sea could bring thunderstorms, heavy rain and wind gusts up to 50 mph to New Jersey on Wednesday.AccuWeather.com
Atlantic, Cape May, Monmouth, Ocean and southeastern Burlington counties will be under a wind advisory from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. as winds of 25 to 35 mph might gust as high as 50 mph at times, the National Weather Service said.
A wind advisory will be in effect from noon to 10 p.m. in eastern Essex, eastern Union and Hudson counties with 20 to 30 mph winds having the potential to gust to 50 mph. In Cumberland County, a wind advisory runs from 10 a.m. until 4 p.m.
UPDATE: Wind advisories have been expanded to include the entire state, except for Passaic County, western Bergen, western Essex and western Union counties.
Forecasters said scattered power outages are possible as trees and wires could be knocked down.
A bomb cyclone storm fueled by an “atmospheric river” of moisture from the Caribbean Sea could bring thunderstorms, heavy rain and wind gusts up to 50 mph to New Jersey on Wednesday.AccuWeather.com
The storm’s moisture is pulling from the Caribbean Sea up the coast to New Jersey and “fit the definition of an atmospheric river,” Rayno said. AccuWeather is predicting a two-day rainfall total, including Tuesday’s precipitation, of 2 to 4 inches.
AccuWeather’s forecast also includes the potential of wind gusts up to 70 mph in New Jersey.
Rain on Wednesday is expected to be light to moderate in the morning with periods of heavy rain possible this afternoon, the weather service said. Flooding is a threat in urban areas and places with poor drainage.
There is a slight risk (2 on a 5-point scale) of severe weather in coastal areas of New Jersey, the weather service said.
Strong storms and some flooding are possible in New Jersey on Wednesday.National Weather Service
Temperatures will climb into the 60s this afternoon before plummeting through the overnight as clouds diminish and cold air sweeps in behind a cold front. Lows by sunrise on Thursday will be in the upper 20s and low 30s.
Thursday, Friday and Sunday are expected to be sunny and cold with highs in the upper 30s to near 40. There’s a chance of rain Saturday night and Sunday.
Temperatures on Sunday will be bit warmer, though — in the mid- to upper 40s under cloudy skies.
Areas shaded in yellow have the highest risk of severe wind damage on Wednesday, Dec. 11, and areas shaded in brown have a slightly lower risk, according to the Storm Prediction Center.Storm Prediction Center
Current weather radar
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NJ Advance Media staff writer Len Melisurgo contributed to this report.
Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com.
