Strong Winds, Showers, Thunderstorm In PA's Wednesday Forecast

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Enjoy Tuesday's calm weather, and consider securing garbage cans and items that might blow away. Powerful gusts, rain and an isolated thunderstorm could plague the greater Philadelphia area on Wednesday, according to forecasters.

The National Weather Service doesn't expect much rain to accumulate, so strong winds represent the primary concern for Wednesday's storm. Forecasters expect gusts of 30-40 mph throughout the region in the morning, with stronger winds possible in stretches of eastern Pennsylvania.

Some of the heaviest winds are likely to favor the highest terrain in Berks County, the southern Poconos and northwestern New Jersey, according to forecasters. The National Weather Service is considering issuing a wind advisory for the area.

The agency issues a wind advisory when forecasters expect sustained winds of 31-39 mph for at least an hour and/or gusts of 46-57 mph for any duration. Weather officials "held off on a wind advisory in these areas for now, and have forecast maximum wind gusts just below advisory criteria, but will be watching guidance trends closely over the next 24 hours," said the Tuesday morning forecast discussion from the agency's Mount Holly office.

Forecasters expect general rainfall of 0.25 inches to an inch, but locally higher amounts remain possible. Flooding risk remains relatively low because of recent rainfall deficits and the speed at which the system will move through the region, according to the National Weather Service. But localized flooding could still occur.

Winds will gradually subside Wednesday night through Thursday. Gusts of 25-35 mph are possible on Thursday, but drier air will filter in, forecasters say.

Here's the National Weather Service's latest forecast:

• Tuesday: Partly sunny, with a high near 48. Northeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm.
• Tuesday night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 37. East wind around 5 mph.
• Wednesday: Showers. High near 59. Breezy, with a southeast wind 10 to 15 mph becoming south 20 to 25 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between a half and three-quarters of an inch possible.
• Wednesday night: Showers likely, mainly before 7 p.m. Mostly cloudy, then gradually becoming clear, with a low around 32. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph, with gusts as high as 35 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.
• Thursday: Sunny, with a high near 43. Breezy, with a west wind 15 to 20 mph.
• Thursday night: Mostly clear, with a low around 28.
• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 46.