Potentially severe storms to impact Philadelphia area Sunday, chance for flash flooding, damaging winds
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- After a day with generally nuisance showers around the region on Saturday more impactful weather is on tap for our Sunday. As a result, we've issued a Next Weather Alert for Sunday due to the threat of strong storms that will have the potential to produce heavy rain, flash flooding and even some damaging winds.
An area of low pressure will move east out of the Great Lakes and bring widespread showers and storms along with it. The warm front associated with this system will bring a wave of showers and a few embedded thunderstorms early Sunday morning before the trailing cold front will trigger more widespread showers and thunderstorms into the afternoon and early evening hours.
An increase in moisture behind the warm front, but ahead of the cold front, will increase the threat for locally heavy rain that could result in flooding. Most of the region is under a flood watch until 2 a.m. Monday where 1-3 inches of rain is possible with more than 4 inches of rain possible in some localized places.
In addition to the heavy rain, gusty and potentially damaging winds may accompany the heavy rain. The southern half of the region has a "slight" risk (two on a five-point scale) for severe storms. Storms could bring down trees and branches, which could result in power outages and potentially impact travel.
Sunday storm timing
- 1 PM - 4 PM: The Lehigh Valley, Berks, Chester County, upper Montgomery and Bucks counties
- 3 PM - 7 PM: Lower Montgomery, lower Bucks, Delaware, New Castle and Philadelphia counties plus areas adjacent to I-95 in South Jersey
- 4 PM - 8 PM: South Jersey, Central and southern Delaware and the Shore
- The storms may linger along the Shore until midnight
Latest on Hurricane Ernesto
Separate from the main storm system moving through the region is Hurricane Ernesto, which is passing north several hundred miles offshore in the Atlantic and kicking up the surf along our beaches. Beach conditions will be dangerous along all of the Jersey Shore and Delaware Beaches through early Monday.
The rip current risk is very high with high surf and nearshore waves reaching 5-10 inches. Best to avoid swimming at the shore. Lifeguards are prepared to restrict swimmers to waist deep water or close the beaches to swimming altogether.
In addition to the high surf and rip currents. a Coastal Flood Advisory is in effect from all coastal areas with higher-than-normal tides expected through Sunday night. Be careful around tidal waterways that typically see flooding during higher tides.
The main cold front will sweep through the region Sunday night taking the widespread storms along with it. A secondary cold front, however, will lag to the west and likely not make its way through the area until Monday night.
Ahead of this second front a few scattered showers will be possible Monday afternoon, but storms, much less severe weather is not expected. High temperatures Monday will return to the low 80s before much cooler air begins to spill into the area.
By Tuesday a touch of fall arrives with sunshine and highs in the low to mid-70s with overnight lows in the 50s.
7-day forecast
Sunday: High of 82, NEXT Weather Alert Day
Monday: High of 84, low of 70, scattered showers
Tuesday: High of 74, low of 63, sunny and cool
Wednesday: High of 76, low of 58, sunny and cool
Thursday: High of 80, low of 58, mostly sunny
Friday: High of 82, low of 61, mostly sunny
Saturday: High of 84, low of 69, mostly sunny