Widespread rain totals are forecast to be 1 to 3 inches, but the heaviest storms could bring 5 to 8 inches of rain to isolated areas.

Flooding is possible across the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic on Thursday, especially in urban areas, with storms expected to bring heavy rain — up to 3 inches per hour.

Hours after New Jersey declared a State of Emergency, Gov.Kathy Hochul did the same for New York ahead of the severe weather that threatens to bring to the area severe storms and flash flooding. “The State of Emergency includes the Bronx,

New York Governor Kathy Hochul and her acting counterpart in New Jersey said they were declaring states of emergency for areas facing the threat of extreme flash floods forecast on Thursday for much of the Eastern Seaboard.

New Jersey is under a flood watch today, and officials are warning residents to be careful and pay attention to conditions.

A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, making storms capable of unleashing huge amounts of rain over land. Studies have shown that for every degree Fahrenheit that the planet heats up, the atmosphere can hold around 3% to 4% more moisture. As a result, flooding risks across the country are expected to increase in the coming years.

New York Governor Kathy Hochul and her acting New Jersey counterpart declared states of emergency for areas facing the threat of flash floods on Thursday from heavy downpours disrupting rail and air travel along the Eastern Seaboard.