Philadelphia weather: Widespread showers will drench Delaware Valley on Wednesday
PHILADELPHIA - Drenching rain is expected to soak the Delaware Valley Wednesday afternoon as the region remains stuck in a wet weather pattern.
A cloudy and gloomy morning with dense fog in some places will give way to showers in the afternoon that will be heavy at times, causing flooding concerns in low-lying places near bodies of water.
Rain is expected to become more scattered during the evening as the back half of the storm crawls up the East Coast. Showers could linger into Thursday, but sunshine is expected to return on Friday.
How long will the rain last?
FOX 29's Sue Serio says the rain is expected to drench Philadelphia-area around noon and last through the early evening hours. Showers will slowly become more scattered during the evening in Philadelphia, and wind down sometime after midnight.
Places north and west of Philadelphia, including the Poconos, will be on a slightly delayed schedule. Showers are expected around 2 p.m. and last through the evening before dwindling during the early morning hours.
Places by the shore, where some of the heaviest rain is expected, should brace for rain throughout the daylight hours and into Thursday morning.
How much rain is expected?
Forecasters expect about an inch of rainfall in Philadelphia and its suburbs by Thursday morning. Areas further south of the city, including Millville and Dover should expect slightly higher rainfall totals around 1.5 inches.
The highest rainfall totals are expected in areas along the New Jersey coast, especially southern shore points like Wildwood and Ocean City where forecasters are calling for up to 3 inches.
Flooding concerns
The National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for parts of New Jersey.
Forecasters say some minor flooding could happen during Wednesday's deluge, especially in areas along creeks and rivers.
The National Weather Service has issued a Flood Watch for several counties in New Jersey, including Burlington, Mercer and Ocean.
The soaking rain could cause ponding on roadways during Wednesday afternoon's rush hour. FOX 29's Weather Authority reminds commuters never to drive through pools of water.
What's next?
As the storm moves north and pulls clouds along with it on Thursday, sunshine will make a much-needed return as the weekend begins. Highs on Friday are anticipated to approach 60 degrees in Philadelphia to help sop up some of the rain puddles.
The sunshine won't last, however, as another round of rain is slated on Saturday afternoon and will linger into Sunday morning. Check back with FOX 29's Weather Authority for the latest weekend forecast.