Repeated Rounds of Rain and Storms to Prowl the East Coast

Several rounds of torrential rain and severe storms will continue to impact the eastern U.S. through the end of the week. Here is a look at the soggy forecast for this corner of the country.

Storms to Persist Across the East Coast

The Eastern Seaboard will remain under the gun for stormy conditions into the weekend. In addition to the possibility of heavy rain, the unsettled weather pattern will also translate to potentially damaging winds in a zone from the Appalachians to the Atlantic coastline.

The moisture will come along with a series of weak fronts that are moving to the east from the central portion of the U.S. in the days ahead. The end result will be repeated downpours and the threat of powerful thunderstorms.

Forecasters warn that the greatest threat to lives and property will be at the hands of torrential rain. Rainfall amounts of 2 to 4 inches over a period of just an hour are a possibility in the hardest-hit areas. Rain of this degree is capable of quickly overwhelming storm drains and triggering flash flooding. It is also possible that some areas dodge the rain showers completely.

This unsettled weather pattern will affect a large swath of the eastern U.S., stretching from the southern Atlantic and up into the Appalachians, mid-Atlantic, the Northeast, and New England. The impact zone will shift daily as fronts come and go from the region.

Thursday's forecast is calling for a narrow zone of heavy rain to set up across the mid-Atlantic and up into the southern tier of New England. The greatest risk of flash flooding will be in the areas that picked up significant moisture out of Tropical Storm Chantal on Sunday and Monday. The ground is particularly saturated in the area from Durham, North Carolina, and up into central Virginia.

As always, drivers should not try to forge through flooded roadways. It does not take much water for vehicles to be washed away in roaring floodwaters. As little as an inch of rain per hour can trigger a flash flood event. With the possibility of two to three inches an hour in the forecast, it is easy to understand why forecasters are growing concerned about this weather pattern.

The tragic flooding situation in Texas serves as a good reminder to always enable all smartphone alerts. This is particularly important for people living or spending time along floodplains. Small streams are especially susceptible to flash flooding disasters in the eastern U.S. In addition to enabling weather alerts on your phone, it is also a good idea to have a plan to escape to higher ground if needed.

The National Weather Service (NWS) will issue a flash flood watch if atmospheric conditions are conducive for flooding. Conversely, a flash flood warning is issued when the flooding is imminent. This means that you should move to higher ground immediately.

Meteorologists are also cautioning that severe storms could prowl the eastern U.S. well into the weekend. The daily storms could pack powerful winds and microbursts capable of knocking down trees and causing power outages.

Specifics of Thursday's Forecast

The forecast models are predicting that two separate areas of storm activity will set up on Thursday. One zone will focus on northeastern New York state and northern New England. Top wind gusts in this area could hit 70 mph.

It will be exceptionally wet in southern New England. For instance, Boston is forecast to be under the threat of rain showers throughout the day with about a half of an inch of precipitation on deck. Winds will be out of the east-northeast at speeds of 10 to 15 mph. It will be a chilly day in Bean Town with highs topping out at the 70-degree mark and lows that slip into the mid 60s.

Another zone of storms is forecast to erupt farther to the south, extending from the southern edge of New Jersey and northern Delaware and down into eastern Georgia. The highest concentration of storms in this zone is expected for southern Virginia and to the border of South Carolina and Georgia. Wind speeds could reach 80 mph in this area of activity.

Raleigh will be in the crosshairs of these storms. The city should prepare for the highest risk of storms in the evening and overnight hours. Periods of heavy rainfall are a possibility. You can expect a high of about 87 degrees and lows that fall into the mid 70s.

Friday's forecast is calling for a lower risk of severe storms. However, that does not mean that the region can rest easy. Sporadic storms are still a possibility at times.

Saturday's primary threats will zero in on the Great Lakes and the Ohio Valley. The end of the weekend will bring a renewed chance of storms to the Appalachians. Due to the expected location of these storms, travel delays across some of the nation's busiest airport hubs are likely. Motorists may also encounter delays on the roadways.

We will continue to monitor the forecast for the weekend and update accordingly.

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