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Tropical Storm Isaias Brings Strong Wind, Heavy Rain, And Flooding To Delaware Valley

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Philadelphia area is bracing for Isaias to roll through the region Tuesday morning. Scattered showers are expected to continue to move in from the south.

Rain is expected to pick up across the region and intensify later in the morning.

Isaias made landfall as a Category 1 hurricane on the border of the Carolinas. It has since been downgraded to a tropical storm.

It will retain tropical storm strength as it races up the eastern seaboard, bringing the risk for hurricane-force wind gusts -- 74 mph or greater -- in parts of Southern New Jersey.

For Philadelphia and its surrounding suburbs, residents can expect wind gusts of 50-65+ mph.

Philadelphia and its immediate Pennsylvania suburbs, Southern New Jersey and Delaware face a slight risk for severe weather, while the city's North and West Suburbs, including Eastern Berks and the Lehigh Valley have a marginal risk for severe weather.

The timeframe for the strongest winds is late morning to late afternoon when the center of Isaias is projected to move directly over the I-95 corridor, from SW to NE.

Downed trees, wires and power outages are likely.

A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect for Philadelphia and its surrounding counties, and all of New Jersey and Delaware. Heavy rain and the potential for flash flooding remains a primary threat.

Rainfall totals of 2-6", with locally higher amounts, are expected with the highest totals along I-95 and west into the Lehigh Valley and Berks.

A Flash Flood Watch is also in effect for the entire region until 12 a.m. Wednesday.

The rain and wind will end tomorrow in the late afternoon or early evening as the storm exits.

There was a confirmed tornado over Smyrna, Delaware just after 9 a.m. this morning. CBS3's Lauren Casey says the tornado was moving north at 50 mph.

Embedded strong and severe storms are possible and tropical systems also present the threat for an isolated tornado. There is a tornado watch in effect for Salem, Cumberland and Cape May Counties and all of Delaware until 12 p.m.

The tropical storm is also bringing dangerous rip currents along the coast of New Jersey and Delaware.

A high surf advisory is in effect for coastal New Jersey and coastal Delaware from 8 a.m. Tuesday until 12 a.m. Wednesday.

A coastal flood advisory is also in effect for all of the Jersey Shore and Delaware beaches from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Stay with CBSPhilly.com for the latest Hurricane Isaias updates.

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