North Jersey residents, including those preparing for annual St. Patrick's Day celebrations in two counties, face another round of rain this weekend that could reach 2 inches or more in some areas, weather experts say.
The National Weather Service expects rain to start falling in Morristown after 10 a.m. Saturday, meaning a high chance of rain falling on participants and spectators in the city's parade, which kicks off at noon. Rain will continue until midnight, bringing up to an additional inch of rain to the area by Sunday morning.
Bergen County could be hit harder, with 1 to 2 inches of rain falling through Saturday night, according to the NWS forecast. The wet weather is expected to ease early Sunday afternoon, but scattered rain and snow showers could impact Bergenfield's St. Patrick's Day Parade when it begins at 2 p.m.
The National Weather Service predicted a “marginal” flood risk, with the possibility of larger floods along the coast In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. The forecast map calls for 1.14 inches of rain in West Milford, 1.05 inches in Paramus, and 1 inch in Newark from 1pm Saturday to 2pm Sunday.
In addition to the rain, both regions are expected to brace for strong winds throughout the weekend.
Morristown could see steady winds of 20 to 25 mph Saturday night, with gusts up to 40 mph on Sunday, according to the National Weather Service. Winds appear to be less severe in Bergen, but winds could reach the upper 20s Saturday night and 30 mph Sunday.
The forecast continues for the winter of frequent heavy rains that have caused flooding in several towns across North Jersey. The latest storm led to a flood watch across much of the region on Wednesday, although the watch ended Thursday morning without any major problems in the area.
