Tropical Storm Karen On Track For New Jersey

Tropical Storm Karen remains on track to bring heavy rain to New Jersey when she begins to affect us Monday night.

The effects of Tropical Storm Karen in Grand Isle, Louisiana (Marianna Massey/Getty Images)

An updated briefing issued by the National Weather Service's Mt. Holly office expects 1-2 inches of rain to begin falling in all of New Jersey on Monday night and last into at least Tuesday morning. There could be some areas with 3-4 inches of rain leading to areas of localized street flooding.

High tide on Monday and Tuesday morning could bring minor coastal flooding. Winds will gust to only 25 MPH making it a non-factor for New Jersey.

Karen will make landfall on the Alabama-Mississippi border on Sunday morning as a weak tropical storm with winds of 40 MPH and drop 3-6 inches of rain across the southeast part of the United States. The storm could strengthen slightly on Saturday night as she tracks north-northwest and be in North Carolina early Tuesday morning

The exact amount of rain we get will be determined by a cold front also approaching. Whatever is left of Karen as she moves closer to New Jersey could get absorbed by the front and lead to heavier rain.

Thanks to our recent run of dry weather river flooding is not expected to be a problem.

Karen began losing its punch after a busy day of preparations along the Gulf Coast for the storm, a late-arriving worry in what had been a slow hurricane season in the U.S. Karen would be the second named storm to make landfall in the U.S. — the first since Tropical Storm Andrea hit Florida in June.

Pickups hauling boat trailers and flatbed trucks laden with crab traps exited vulnerable, low-lying areas of southeast Louisiana on Friday.

Also, Alabama joined Louisiana, Mississippi and Florida in declaring a state of emergency. The Federal Emergency Management Agency and Interior Department recalled workers, furloughed because of the government shutdown, to deal with the storm and help state and local agencies.

Evacuations also were ordered on Grand Isle, a barrier island community where the only route out is a single flood-prone highway, and in coastal Lafourche Parish.

Traffic at the mouth of the Mississippi River was stopped Friday morning in advance of the storm, and passengers aboard two Carnival Cruise ships bound for weekend arrivals in New Orleans were told they may not arrive until Monday.

In New Orleans, Sheriff Marlin Gusman announced that he had moved more than 400 inmates from temporary tent facilities to safer state lockups as a precaution. Mayor Mitch Landrieu said a city emergency operations center would begin around-the-clock operations Friday evening.

Get the latest on Karen's track and expected effect on New Jersey by texting WEATHER to 89000 for updates.