PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A tornado warning has been issued for the entire Philadelphia region as Debby moves toward the region.
The National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center issued a warning Friday morning, which expires at 2 p.m.
A tornado warning means there are favorable conditions for the formation of a tornadosuch as possible rotation in the atmosphere. A watch means that people in the affected area should be on the alert for further developments, such as a tornado warning.
A tornado warning means that a tornado has been spotted or detected on weather radar and that people in the affected area should take cover.
One confirmed tornado has already been observed in our region this week – in New Castle County, Delaware, where a confirmed tornado has blown off part of the roof of an Acme supermarket Thursday night, scattered branches and damage to shopping cart at store. No injuries reported.
Debby’s path shows that the worst rainfall comes in the afternoon
Debby has been downgraded from a tropical storm to a tropical depression and then to a post-tropical cyclone, but will still produce heavy rainfall and severe storms in the region.
We’ve been following the storm’s path all week and it looks like the bulk of the rain will fall in central Pennsylvania. However, there will still be plenty of rain in eastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware.
At least 2.5 to 5 centimeters of rain will fall in the region, but in places where it rains regularly, rainfall may be higher.
Severe weather risk, flood warning for Philadelphia region
Debby’s arrival prompts multiple weather alerts in Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware on Friday. A flood warning is in effect until 1 a.m. Saturday.
As with the Delaware River, a coastal flood warning is in effect from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday.
Affected areas include Gloucester, Camden and northwestern Burlington counties in New Jersey, and Philadelphia, Delaware and Lower Bucks counties in Pennsylvania.
Data from the NWS and the National Oceanic and Atmosphereic Administration’s National Water Prediction Service showed the Delaware River at the Washington Avenue gauging station in Philadelphia had already reached a minor flood stage during Friday morning’s high tide.
The gauging station in Burlington, New Jersey, also showed the river was above flood level.
At both locations there is an increased risk of river flooding when the next high tide arrives around 5-6pm.
Stay tuned to CBS News Philadelphia’s NEXT Weather team as we continue to monitor Debby and its effects on the area.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
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