Storms threaten World Cup matchup between Norway and Senegal in New Jersey

World Cup watchers could be in for a shaky Monday as a marquee matchup squares up with a line of potentially severe thunderstorms.

The National Weather Service is warning that severe weather and potential flooding could hit the region Monday afternoon into Tuesday. Forecasters estimate up to four inches of rain locally and isolated wind gusts up to 50 miles per hour during thunderstorms.

That coincides with the third match hosted at MetLife Stadium for the World Cup, a group-stage game between Norway and Senegal scheduled for 8 p.m. The storms are expected to arrive around 2 p.m. Monday and continue through the evening.

According to FIFA rules, a match can still go on if there are rain conditions at the stadium. But protocols say that if lighting strikes within an eight-mile radius, a 30-minute timer will begin before play can resume. The clock resets every time a strike occurs in the surrounding area.

In the event of lightning, fans will have to evacuate the seating area and seek shelter in concourses. Umbrellas are not permitted into the stadium, but rain jackets or ponchos are allowed. If conditions don’t improve, the game will be rescheduled to a later date.

NJ Transit will cordon off their section of Penn Station up to four hours before the match for ticketholders looking to get to the game early, in an effort to curb congestion on the railroad. But early-arriving fans would have to weather the storm when they arrive outside MetLife Stadium.

There’s also the Host Committee’s popular, and sold out, shuttle bus services picking up ticketholders at three locations in Manhattan to the Meadowlands.

NWS meteorologist James Tomasini said that the incoming storm will bring showers, thunder and more concerning weather.

“Given the setup we’re looking at, there is potential for some isolated flash flooding from heavy rain with these showers and storms,” Tomasini said. He also warned of potential for “damaging wind gusts.”

With the match scheduled at 8 p.m., Tomasini did say there’s a chance ticketholders might be spared from the worst of the inclement weather.

“It really might come in potentially two batches here, but it really looks like the earlier time for some of the heaviest rain would be Monday afternoon, say sometime right around or after 2 [p.m.] and then there’s potential for that to really linger until around midnight,” he said.

New York City also issued its own flood warning and said that there’s potential for flooding on highways, streets, basements and underpasses. It also warned that the heavy rain may create dangerous travel conditions and is telling people to stay inside and off the roads.