Flash flooding wreaked havoc on parts of the Northeast, leading to water rescues as millions of people face the risk of severe weather and heavy rain at the start of the workweek.
Following a stalled cold front last week, another front is approaching, bringing the potential for flooding due to heavy rain. Water rescues were already underway in various communities in the Lower Hudson Valley, prompting the National Weather Service to issue a rare Flash Flood Emergency for towns around West Point, New York.
Doppler radar estimates show that certain areas in Orange County, New York, received approximately six inches of rainfall within a short period, resulting in flash flooding. In response to the anticipated several inches of rain, the National Weather Service has issued Flood Watches spanning from eastern North Carolina to northern New England, covering nearly 53 million people.
Major cities along the Interstate 95 corridor, including Washington, Philadelphia, and New York, are under the Flood Watch. Other cities at risk of flooding include Hatteras in North Carolina, Norfolk in Virginia, Binghamton in New York, Hartford and New Haven in Connecticut, and Burlington in Vermont.
While flooding is possible along the Eastern Seaboard, the most significant risk lies in the stretch from Washington through Philadelphia, New York City, and Vermont. The region is expected to receive 1 to 2 inches of rain on average, with higher rainfall totals projected for parts of the Northeast and New England.
Specifically, the Hudson Valley in New York, the Albany area, western Massachusetts, Vermont, and New Hampshire in northern New England could see rainfall amounts of 2 to 3 inches. Some areas may even experience rainfall totals ranging from 3 to 5 inches over the next few days.
Prior to the recent downpour, more than 60% of the Northeast was grappling with dry or drought conditions. Insufficient precipitation throughout the winter and the first half of 2023 has forced farmers to rely heavily on irrigation rather than natural rainfall.
Observation sites around Washington have reported a rainfall deficit of around 7 inches below average, while New York’s Central Park is facing a deficit of over 3 inches.
{Matzav.com}
