Flood Watch Issued For Essex County With Inch Of Rain, Gusts: Find Out When it Starts

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — With as much as 1.5 inches of rain and 24 MPH wind gusts expected later on Sunday, the National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for Essex County and neighboring counties.

(Got flood photos? Send to Patch here.)

The watch runs from noon until midnight on Sunday, with steady rain expected throughout that period and thunderstorms any time between 2 p.m. and 11 p.m.

Officials advise not to drive through flooded waters.

The watch says: "Anywhere from 1.5 to 3.5 inches of rain has fallen over the past 24 to 36 hours, and another 1 to 1.5 inches of rain with locally higher amounts is expected to fall today through tonight, mostly during the afternoon and evening hours. Although rainfall rates might not reach an inch per hour, chances of flash flooding have been enhanced due to the recent rainfall."

The NWS predicts: "Areas of drizzle before 11 a.m., then rain between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m., then rain and possibly a thunderstorm after 2 p.m. Rain and possibly a thunderstorm before 11 p.m., then showers likely between 11 p.m. and 2 a.m."

The line of storms can be seen on Accuweather radar here.

Get the updates, watch information, and most recent forecast at the NWS site here.