Rain through the afternoon hours; spectacular weekend on tap

Hurricane Arthur will pass well off the New Jersey coastline today but not before the state experiences some tropical impacts, forecasters say.

The hurricane, a Category Two storm with maximum sustained winds near 100 miles per hour, is located 130 miles off the Virginia coast at 9:00 a.m. Friday, according to the National Hurricane Center. The storm is heading to the northeast at 23 miles per hour.

While Hurricane Arthur’s center will remain well off the coast, precipitation associated with the system will impact New Jersey through the afternoon hours, according to a briefing from the National Weather Service office in Mount Holly, NJ. 

“Rain will be heavy at times, resulting in rainfall rates of one to two inches per hour in spots. Flash flooding, along with street and poor drainage flooding, can be expected,” the briefing advises. 

A Flash Flood Watch remains in effect for the Jersey Shore. Tidal flooding is not an issue. 

But showers and thunderstorms should end in most areas by early this evening, according to the briefing. 

“With plenty of fireworks scheduled for shortly after sunset (which is around 8:30 p.m.), skies will be clear for much of the area in time although some clouds may linger over coastal areas,” National Weather Service forecasters write in a forecast discussion, adding that winds will start to diminish around or shortly after sunset. 

Winds out of the north to northwest will gradually switch to the northwest later Friday as Arthur passes by the coast. 

“Expect wind speeds in the 15 to 25 mph range with gusts up to 40 mph possible right on the coast. Winds speeds will be less further inland,” the briefing advises.

High surf and rip currents will be a major threat throughout the holiday weekend, even though Saturday and Sunday will feature spectacularly dry and comfortable weather, forecasters say.