Flash flood warnings also issued, with torrential downpours occurring in parts of New Jersey.
Strong thunderstorms have been moving across eastern Pennsylvania and through New Jersey during the past two hours, dropping torrential rain and prompting the National Weather Service to issue a series of severe thunderstorm warnings and flash flood warnings across the region.
In this map, updated at 5:20 p.m. Monday, areas shaded in red are under a flash flood warning, areas in orange are under a severe thunderstorm warning, areas in pink are under a severe thunderstorm watch and areas in light green are under a flood advisory. (National Weather Service)Some of the storm cells have been packing strong winds, with gusts as high as 60 mph, according to the weather service.
Shortly after 3 p.m., a severe thunderstorm warning was issued in parts of Sussex and Warren counties in New Jersey and parts of Monroe and Northampton counties in Pennsylvania.
In addition, a flash flood warning was posted for Sussex County and northern Warren County, effective through 6:15 p.m., because of heavy downpours that have already resulted in as much as 2 inches of rain in some areas, the weather service said.
UPDATE: (5:45 p.m.): A flash flood warning has been issued for Essex, Hudson and Union counties, as well as southern Bergen County and eastern Passaic County, effective until 7:45 p.m.
UPDATE (5:15 p.m.): A severe thunderstorm warning has been issued for Mercer and Middlesex counties, northern Burlington County, northwestern Camden County, north-central Gloucester County, southwestern Monmouth County, northwestern Ocean County and southeastern Somerset County, effective through 6 p.m.
UPDATE (5 p.m.): A flood advisory has been issued for Middlesex County, east-central Mercer County, southeastern Somerset County and central Monmouth County, effective until 8 p.m.
Strong storms moving into Woodbridge, New Jersey! @JimCantore @mikebettes @KathrynProciv @weatherchannel @StormHour @ReedTimmerAccu pic.twitter.com/5TU7NKP58w
-- Collin Gross (@CollinGrossWx) June 19, 2017
UPDATE (4 p.m.): A severe thunderstorm warning is in effect for Hunterdon County, southwestern Warren County, southwestern Morris County and northwestern Somerset County, effective until 4:45 p.m. The same warning is also active in northwestern Bucks County and southeastern Northampton County in eastern Pennsylvania.
In Sussex County, the town of Wantage has already received nearly 3.8 inches of rain and the town of High Point has gotten 3.6 inches, according to automated rain gauges operated by the New Jersey Weather & Climate Network at Rutgers University. Other towns nearby, however, have gotten only small amounts of rain.
"These are really local torrential downpours," said Mitchell Gaines, a meteorologist at the weather service's regional office in Mount Holly.
The weather service has received reports of some toppled trees and utility wires in the Lehigh Valley region, Gaines said. In addition, the weather service received a report of a house struck by lightning in New London Township, Pa., and a tree that fell onto a car in South Brunswick in Middlesex County earlier Monday afternoon, before the thunderstorms arrived, because of strong winds.
Several trees were blown down in Logan Township in Gloucester County at about 4:45 p.m., the weather service reported.
Areas shaded in orange were under a severe thunderstorm warning as of 3:15 p.m., and areas shaded in pink are under a severe thunderstorm watch until 8 p.m. (National Weather Service) Shortly after 3 p.m., a line of strong thunderstorms was reported from the area near Delaware Water Gap to East Bangor to Bangor in eastern Pennsylvania, moving northeast at about 40 mph, the weather service said.
A severe thunderstorm watch remains in effect in all of New Jersey's 21 counties as well as in most sections of eastern Pennsylvania, effective through 8 p.m. Monday. In addition, a flash flood watch is in effect for most of northern, central and western New Jersey, as well as in New York City and Nassau County on Long Island.
The National Weather Service also says there's a high risk of dangerous rip currents developing along the entire Jersey Shore, from Sandy Hook down to Cape May on Monday.
Live weather radar
Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.