Heavy rain could cause minor flooding and ponding on roads in Philly and parts of Jersey and Delaware this weekend

The weekend is off to a lovely start — if you’re a duck.

Rain continues to fall across the region and travel could become a problem in some areas today. It’s best to avoid roadways if you can help it.

A flood warning is in effect until 5:30 p.m. today for parts of South and Central New Jersey, Northern Delaware and Bucks, Chester, Delaware and Montgomery counties in Southeast Pennsylvania. The National Weather Service says flooding of rivers, creeks, streams and other low-lying areas and flood-prone locations is imminent or occurring.

Minor flooding in low-lying and poor drainage areas and some roads may occur.

A flood watch has been issued until 8 a.m. Sunday for the Philadelphia metro area as well as Southeastern Pennsylvania, portions of South and Central New Jersey and Northern Delaware.

Mike Lee, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, N.J., said “flooding is certainly a concern across the area and there may be some ponding on the roadways. It’s going to rain a lot on Saturday, anywhere that has poor drainage or is a low-lying area could certainly flood.”

Lee said river flooding is also a concern and small creeks and streams could go over their banks.

“As all of this water tries to drain out,” he said, “a lot of these small streams and tributaries and some rivers could see the water levels rise, potentially even after the rain has stopped.”

A wind advisory in effect until Sunday morning at 8 a.m.

“As the storm system pulls out and moves offshore later today into the evening hours, winds from the west, northwest are going to be very strong, we’re going to probably see some wind gusts up to 40 to maybe 50 miles per hour,” he said.

Lee said the rain is expected to end mid to late afternoon.

“So by the evening we should be dry, but that’s when the wind will get going pretty good,” he said.