NJ Weather: Severe Thunderstorm Watch In 6 Counties

The National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm watch for six New Jersey counties on Friday as more bad weather was expected to soak the storm-battered region. A tornado is also possible.

The warning was issued for Bergen, Passaic, Essex, Sussex, Morris and Warren counties. The alert was set to expire at 11 p.m.

A heat advisory was also issued for the same region, noting that extreme humidity was expected to precede a severe thunderstorm.

The primary threat is damaging winds. However, an isolated tornado is also possible, according to the National Weather Service. There is also a low flash flood threat with the heaviest storms.

Here are the alerted areas:

This won't be welcome news to many areas that are still underwater, four days after storms flooded roads, sent cars floating down a river and left a general mess. Read more: 4 Days Later, Monmouth Still Is A Flooded Mess: What's Next?

Here is what to expect, specifically, and a timeline:

• Nearly a quarter-of-an-inch of rain is supposed to fall between 8 p.m. Friday and 1 a.m. Saturday
• Rain will then taper off ... until 8 p.m. Saturday, when it's supposed to pick up again.
• Rain is supposed to soak New Jersey through Sunday.
• While the risk of flash flooding remains the greatest risk to lives and property, locally severe thunderstorms will bring the potential for falling trees and power outages, according to AccuWeather.
• Trees have been drawing a great deal of moisture up their trunk and limb systems because of the above-normal rainfall. Many trees may be top-heavy as a result, according to AccuWeather.
• There is a chance the thunderstorms will be more robust than the garden variety summer storm and may occur on a more regional basis into Friday night, according to AccuWeather.
• Some of the stronger storms may bring gusts in the neighborhood of 30-50 mph, with a few gusts past 50 mph possible, according to AccuWeather. The anticipated gusts are strong enough to topple weakly rooted trees and break diseased or stressed tree limbs.
• Fallen tree limbs may block streets and secondary roads in some neighborhoods and rural areas, according to AccuWeather. Where utility lines run through wooded areas, localized power outages can occur.
• Flash flooding remains a serious threat
• In large portions of New York state, Pennsylvania, northern New Jersey, northern Maryland, northwestern Virginia and West Virginia, a mere 0.50 to 1 inch of rain in three hours can trigger flash flooding, according to AccuWeather.

Not all areas may be impacted by the storm's worst impacts, however.

Here is the forecast:

• Friday night: Showers and thunderstorms likely, mainly before 1am. Some storms could be severe, with damaging winds and heavy rain. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 75. South wind 7 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 24 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Saturday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, mainly after 2pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 87. West wind around 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Saturday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 71. Northwest wind around 9 mph becoming northeast after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Sunday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 77. Northeast wind around 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
• Sunday night: A chance of showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Tom Davis photo