A flood watch remains in effect across much of New Jersey as the state braces for heavy rainfall from Tropical Storm Debby. The storm, which made landfall in Florida as a Category 1 hurricane, is expected to bring heavy rain to the New Jersey region later this week.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for 15 New Jersey counties, including Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, and Union. The flood watch is active from Tuesday afternoon through Wednesday morning in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic, and Union counties, and from Tuesday evening through Wednesday morning in the other counties.
The storm's heavy moisture and slow movement pose a significant threat, allowing bands of heavy rain to fall on the same general areas, leading to potential flooding. One of the hardest-hit communities from Tuesday night's storms is Hackensack, where nearly half the city was flooded, according to the local fire department. They also reported having to rescue a number of stranded drivers.
In addition to the flood risk, thousands of New Jersey residents are without power after the storms knocked down power lines. The situation is expected to worsen as Tropical Storm Debby approaches, with forecasters predicting anywhere from 3 to 8 inches of rain to fall on the Garden State later this week.