Severe thunderstorms possible in North Jersey Saturday

• Severe thunderstorms could move through North Jersey late Saturday afternoon and evening.
• The strongest storms may bring damaging wind gusts, hail and heavy rain before clearing overnight.

Severe thunderstorms are possible across North Jersey on June 6, with damaging winds, hail and heavy rain all in the forecast as a cold front moves through the region, according to the National Weather Service.

Forecasters said another hot afternoon is expected before storms develop late Saturday and continue into Saturday night. Temperatures are expected to climb well into the 80s across much of the area, with lower 90s possible in the urban Northeast New Jersey corridor.

The main threat window is expected to run from about 5 p.m. to 1 a.m., according to a Saturday morning briefing from the NWS office in New York.

The strongest storms could bring wind gusts above 58 mph, enough to damage trees and power lines and cause scattered outages. Large hail around an inch is also possible, along with heavy downpours that could lead to localized flooding in urban areas, poor drainage spots and along quick-responding streams and creeks.

The Storm Prediction Center placed most of the region under a slight risk for severe weather, a level two out of five. The highest chance for severe storms is expected to be north and west of the I-95 corridor, though forecasters said storms could affect a broader area depending on how the system develops.

The NWS said there is still some uncertainty in the forecast, including how much storm activity develops during the afternoon and whether the timing limits the severity of storms later in the day.

The storms are expected to move through as a cold front sweeps across the area. Conditions are expected to turn mainly dry Sunday and into the middle of next week, with temperatures gradually warming again.

For those heading to the Shore, forecasters also warned of a high risk of rip currents at Atlantic-facing beaches Saturday. Rip currents can sweep even strong swimmers away from shore, and the NWS said anyone visiting the beaches should stay out of the surf. Water temperatures below 60 degrees could also quickly cause hypothermia.

Officials advise residents to monitor the forecast, make sure they can receive weather alerts and move indoors if thunder is heard. During severe thunderstorms, people should stay away from windows and avoid driving through flooded roads.