Storm Affects Holiday Road Plans [AUDIO]

The Garden State has been receiving a much-needed dose of rainfall over the past several hours, but the timing of the weather system could have been a little better. On this heavily-traveled day, drivers are being warned to take it easy on the roads.

Those hoping to get a jump on their Thanksgiving travels were faced with heavy rain, strong winds and local flooding overnight. Winter precipitation was expected to be a factor in the northernmost part of the state. The rain should move out by later Wednesday.

Mary Goepfert, external affairs officer at the New Jersey Office of Emergency Management, said motorists need to be especially careful today behind the wheel, perhaps hours after the rain stops as well.

"Please watch for ponded water," said Goepfert. "When we have the heavy rains and the water building up in the streets, people are tempted to take shortcuts or move barricades."

Goepfert said, however, that flooding might have been a bigger problem if it hadn't been so dry over the past few months. The dry ground was able to absorb more water than usual.

The same storm system is blamed for more than 10 deaths across the country.