Philadelphia weather turned wetter Thursday as a flood watch began at 12 p.m. for a large portion of the region. The watch covers 11 counties and runs through storms expected to bring heavy rain and damaging winds.
Those counties are New Castle, Berks, Chester, Delaware, Philadelphia, Montgomery, Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Salem, and Mercer. The strongest storms were expected between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m., with some cells capable of dumping 1-2 inches of rain in a very short period.
Thursday at 12 p.m.
Moisture and humidity were expected to surge back into the area Thursday morning, with temperatures starting in the low 70s and feeling more like the mid-upper 70s. Conditions were expected to stay dry until lunchtime, then scattered showers were set to develop before more widespread showers and thunderstorms moved across the region during the afternoon.
The NEXT Weather Team issued a NEXT Weather Alert because the storms could produce damaging winds and heavy rain that may result in flash flooding. The forecast pointed to the Philadelphia area and points south as the areas most likely to see the strongest weather.
Philadelphia and points south
The forecast carried a complication: the broad threat included flash flooding, but the greatest hazard was identified as damaging winds. That means the watch was not just about standing water or runoff; it also covered storms capable of stronger wind damage during the afternoon and evening window.
Most of the storm activity was expected to move east and off the coast after Thursday night. Friday afternoon brought another chance for a few showers or storms, though the coverage and intensity were expected to be less than Thursday's.
Most of Saturday
A small chance for a few showers was expected to linger into early Saturday morning, then rain was expected to clear out for most of Saturday. The chance of rain was expected to drop to near zero by Sunday, when partly cloudy skies and high temperatures in the mid-upper 80s were forecast.
The quieter stretch would not last long. Temperatures were expected to return to the middle and possibly upper 90s by the middle of next week, with Tuesday's forecast listed as heating up for the MLB All-Star Game with a high of 93 and a low of 68.
