Debby's Track Shifts: Latest On Impacts To NJ

NEW JERSEY — Forecasters are getting a clearer picture on the impacts tropical storm Debby will have in New Jersey, and when we can expect it to arrive.

On Tuesday, the National Weather Service reported it was uncertain exactly when Debby would pass north through the region; new estimates released Wednesday indicate the track has shifted slightly west.

Residents across New Jersey can expect the brunt of the storm to pass through the region Friday. Sunshine is expected as early as Saturday afternoon.

Conditions will remain very wet across the area through the beginning of the weekend, however.

"Much of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, especially from central Pennsylvania to upstate New York and Vermont, is also under a heightened flood risk Friday," according to The Weather Channel.

Areas from Maryland to Vermont could see 2 to 4 inches of rain, with local amounts up to 6 inches, The Weather Channel predicts.

The potential for heavy rain and flash flooding "continues daily" into the weekend with Friday looking like the "greatest concern," the National Weather Service said in its latest briefing. River flooding is possible by the weekend, the agency warns.

Debby, which made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane earlier this week, is currently hovering over the Atlantic, offshore from South Carolina. It is currently traveling northeastward at 4 miles per hour, according to CBS. "A second landfall in South Carolina was forecast to happen by Wednesday night or Thursday morning," forecasters with CBS said.

AccuWeather predicts this positioning over the Atlantic will allow Debby to maintain some strength and possibly strengthen for a time "before steering breezes finally pick the storm up later Thursday and begin to accelerate the storm to the north and northeast later this week and this weekend," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said.

The faster movement could limit direct rainfall from the storm to a day rather than two to three days from northern Virginia to New England, AccuWeather predicts. But given the extensive rain in the days preceding the storm's arrival, the region will be saturated and flooding is a still a concern.

- With reporting from Kara Seymour of Patch

Here's the latest forecast for New Jersey from the National Weather Service:

North Jersey

Wednesday: A 40 percent chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 72. Northeast wind around 10 mph.

Wednesday night: A 30 percent chance of showers, mainly after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Northeast wind 7 to 9 mph.

Thursday: A 50 percent chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 74. East wind around 10 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Thursday Night: Showers likely, with thunderstorms also possible after 2am. Cloudy, with a low around 70. East wind 8 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Friday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 82. South wind 8 to 16 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Friday Night: Showers. Low around 74. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New precipitation amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Saturday: A 40 percent chance of showers before 2pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 84.
Central Jersey

Wednesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 76. Northeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Wednesday night: Scattered showers and thunderstorms. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 66. Northeast wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40 percent. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 7am. Cloudy, with a high near 77. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 72. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Friday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 83. South wind 10 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Friday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 72. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

South Jersey

Wednesday: Scattered showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 10am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. West wind around 5 mph becoming east in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Wednesday night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm before 9pm, then scattered showers and thunderstorms after 9pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 68. East wind around 5 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60 percent. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 79. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Thursday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 73. East wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70 percent New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Friday: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 83. South wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 30 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Friday Night: Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. Low around 72. Chance of precipitation is 80 percent. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.