Where is Debby? Flood watch issued for when storm passes Somerset county

After an extremely hot and dry summer so far , Somerset County will receive some much-needed rain on Friday as the remnants of tropical storm Debby move through the region.

There is also the possibility of flooding, however, as most of central Pennsylvania, including Somerset County, is expected to receive between 3-5 inches of rain , with some locations seeing higher amounts of 6 inches, according to Joe Bauco, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in State College.

The agency has issued a flood watch from 2 a.m. Friday until 2 a.m. Saturday for much of central Pennsylvania, from Somerset, Cambria and Clearfield counties in the west to Adams and Dauphin counties in the east and extending northward towards New York State.

" Debby will bring heavy rainfall over the watch area early Friday morning through early Saturday morning," the flood watch statement reads. " Widespread rainfall accumulations of 3-5 inches are expected , with locally higher amounts of 6 to 7 inches possible."

Western Maryland and parts of West Virginia are also under a flood watch from 8 p.m. Thursday until 8 p.m. Friday.

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Bauco said Debby is expected to track through the central and eastern parts of Pennsylvania, but there is a possibility the storm could track farther west, or east, within the forecast cone.

"Impacts will extend well outside of that (cone)," he said.

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How much rain is expected here?

The National Weather Service's rainfall forecast predicts around 3 inches of rain for much of Somerset County, with higher amounts on the eastern ridges eastward into Bedford County.

Although dry ground in Somerset County will benefit from the expected rainfall, the amount of rain expected could also cause flooding concerns.

"With this amount of rain falling in a very short time, flooding will still be a possibility," Bauco said.

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He said the public should pay attention to the latest weather forecasts, have multiple ways to receive flood warnings if they are issued and be prepared to move to higher ground if flooding occurs.

Rain will end late Friday, followed by dry and sunny conditions for the weekend, according to the National Weather Service's extended forecast. Temperatures are to be in the 70s this weekend and through much of next week.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Where is Debby? Flood watch issued for when storm passes Somerset county