National Weather Service: Flood Possible Friday Into Saturday

A flood watch is in effect from Friday morning through Saturday morning, according to the National Weather Service.

According to reports from the service, a low pressure system from the lower Mississippi Valley is expected to move through Pennsylvania and New Jersey Friday, causing periods of moderate rains and strong winds.  Thunderstorms are also possible and precipitation combined with melting snow could add to the chance of a flood, a warning from the service said.

Rainfall amounts of one to two inches are expected from the storm, with the heaviest rain falling during Friday's pre-dawn hours through mid-afternoon hours, according to the service.  The Passaic and Raritan Rivers are expected to see the greatest rise in water levels and will need to be monitored.

Flooding is also expected in smaller creeks and streams and in areas with poor drainage, according to the weather service.

Though the rain is expected to end on Friday evening, somer streams and rivers may not crest until Saturday, the service added. 

Affected areas include Newton, Washington, Morristown, Flemington, Somerville, Hillsborough, Trenton and New Brunswick in New Jersey, and Jim Thorpe, Stroudsburg, Reading, Allentown, Bethlehem, Easton, West Chester, Norristown, Doylestown, Media, and Philadelphia in Pennsylvania.