NJ Weather: Severe Thunderstorms, 40-MPH Winds, Flash Flooding

Heavy rain was falling in parts of New Jersey on Friday as thunderstorms were expected to plague the morning and possibly the afternoon commutes.

Up to 2-and-a-half inches of rain have already fallen with another one to 2 inches possible in the next couple of hours. Flash flooding is expected to begin shortly in the areas of heaviest rain.

Some of those winds are expected to reach up to 40 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

Here are the warning areas:

At 8:30 a.m., a strong thunderstorm was located over Batsto, or 19 miles northeast of Vineland, moving east at 25 mph. Earlier the storm was in the Ocean and Middlesex County areas.

Torrential rainfall is also occurring with this storm, and may cause localized flooding. Do not drive your vehicle through flooded roadways.

Frequent cloud to ground lightning is occurring with this storm. Lightning can strike 10 miles away from a thunderstorm. Seek a safe shelter inside a building or vehicle, the NWS says.

Monmouth County also was getting hammered:

Newark Liberty International Airport was taking precautions:

The bad weather was already causing problems on the roads:

• I-70: Flooding in both directions East of Union Avenue (Lakehurst) to west of CR547 (Lakehurst); all lanes closed and detoured
• I-195: Flooding on I-195 westbound ramp from Exit 7 - CR 526 in Robbinsville. Ramp closed and detoured; use caution.
• NJ 4 : Accident on NJ 4 eastbound at NJ 17 in Paramus. One lane may be closed.
• NJ 4: Accident with injuries on NJ 4 eastbound at NJ 93/Grand Ave in Englewood. Right lane closed; 5-10 minute delay.
• Garden State Parkway: Accident on the Garden State Parkway southbound North of Exit 98 - NJ 138 in Wall Twp. Right shoulder blocked.
• Sinkhole Sinkhole Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector As of 6:01am, there's a Sinkhole on Atlantic City-Brigantine Connector in both directions. closed turnaround ramp of the Brigantine Bridge. Northbound and southbound ramps to turnaround will be closed. Watch for highway workers.

Here is the forecast:

• Friday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm, mainly before 4pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 4pm. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. High near 86. Southwest wind 10 to 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.
• Friday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 60. North wind 10 to 16 mph.
• Saturday: Sunny, with a high near 77. Northeast wind 8 to 14 mph.
• Saturday night: Clear, with a low around 59. Southeast wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm in the evening.
• Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 82. North wind around 6 mph becoming east in the afternoon.
• Sunday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 63.

Patch photo