Tornado Watch Across East Coast In Effect Until Thursday, Flash Flood Warnings Still Up

KEY POINTS

The tornado watch was extended until Thursday for several counties in New Jersey
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy has declared a state of emergency
The NWS also issued flash flood warnings in three boroughs in New York

Flash flood warnings and tornado watches are still in effect across the East Coast as rain and storms from the remnants of Hurricane Ida barrel through the region.

The National Weather Service has extended a tornado watch in several counties in New Jersey, including Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union, until 1 a.m. Thursday. The tornado watch in the state’s other counties ended at 10 p.m. Wednesday.

A flash flood warning in the state is in effect in Bergen, Burlington, Camden, Essex, Gloucester, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Salem, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties. The warning will be in effect until 1.45 a.m. Thursday.

Gov. Phil Murphy, D-N.J., declared a state of emergency Wednesday night as the storms caused extensive flooding, damages and power outages across the state.

“BREAKING: I’m declaring a STATE OF EMERGENCY EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY in response to Tropical Storm Ida. We will use every resource at our disposal to ensure the safety of New Jerseyans,” he said in a statement. “Stay off the roads, stay home, and stay safe.”

In New York, a tornado watch has also been extended until 1 a.m. Thursday for the state’s five boroughs, including the Bronx, Brooklyn, Manhattan, Queens and Staten Island. The agency also declared a flash flood emergency for three boroughs, including Manhattan, Brooklyn and Queens until 11.30 p.m.

NYC metro heads up! Flash Flood Emergency until 1130 pm. Avoid travel if at all possible. Turn around don't drown. Multiple water rescues ongoing across NE NJ and NYC metro. https://t.co/LCYyo4130T
— NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) September 2, 2021

The National Weather Service issues a flash flood emergency in situations when there is a severe threat to human life and catastrophic damage from a flash flood that may happen soon.

The area has already recorded between 2 and 3.5 inches of rain during the first several hours of the storm. The rainfall rates were also expected to hit as high as 5 inches Wednesday night, according to CNN.

In Delaware, tornado warnings expired Wednesday after the hurricane battered the state. However, a flash flood watch will remain in effect until 8 a.m. Thursday as officials expect the storm to continue overnight.

Flood warnings are still up in several areas, including Christina River at Coochs Bridge and the White Clay Creek near Newark. As of Wednesday evening, both areas have surpassed their flood stages by a foot, according to Delaware Online.