Nicole or Not, Flooding Threatens Atlantic Seaboard
Why is flash flooding so dangerous?
It will not matter if Nicole has dissipated, as flooding will still be a major threat along the Atlantic Seaboard through the end of the week.
As Nicole moves northward from Florida waters and interacts with a front stretched north-south along the East coast of the U.S., rain already breaking out now will become heavier.
Many areas from Miami to Jacksonville, Charleston, Richmond, New York City and Boston will have enough rain to cause urban and poor drainage area flooding.
The combination of fallen leaves and modest rain alone can lead to blocked storm drains and street flooding in northern areas.
Major delays on the roadways and at airports are expected.
A narrow zone of intense rainfall can lead to more serious threats to lives and property from flash, small stream and river flooding.
Similar to what happened early in the week, but reaching some different areas, from 6 to 12 inches of rain could fall within a narrow zone.
Even though much of the Appalachians and the East Coast is coming off a stretch of very dry to drought conditions during the latter part of the summer and desperately needed some rain, flooding can and will occur.
The worst problems may not just be in areas that received a few inches of rain a couple of days earlier.
The heaviest rain seems to be aiming from coastal South Carolina, northward through central North Carolina, central and northern Virginia, the panhandle area of West Virginia and Maryland, central Pennsylvania, upstate New York and the St. Lawrence Valley.
Cities in the path of the heaviest rain include Florence, S.C.; Raleigh, N.C.; Charlottesville, Va.; Cumberland, Md.; Williamsport, Pa.; Syracuse, N.Y.; and Montreal, Quebec.
It appears the Allegheny Mountains will mark the western edge of the heavy rain area in the Virginias and western Maryland and Pennsylvania.
Farther south, the heaviest rain will fall east of Columbia, S.C., and Charlotte, N.C.
Farther north, the western edge of the heavy rain will reach the Finger Lakes and the Thousand Islands area of New York.
Rough surf and gusty onshore winds will cause their share of problems along the coast with beach erosion, above-normal tides and perhaps pockets of downed trees and power lines, but flooding is the "big boy" with this band of bullies.
Call it what you will beneficial rain, drought-buster or flood, problems from "Troptober" will continue well beyond this event from the Caribbean islands to Florida an the southern Atlantic Seaboard in the weeks ahead, even if cool, dry air protects northern areas.
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People need to pay close attention to the UV index during this time of year. On a sunny day late in the spring and into the summer, the UV is usually at least an 8, which is very high. Readings over 11 are considered extreme values in which only 10 minutes of full exposure to the sun will produce a sunburn.
This Day In Weather History
New Hampshire (1814)
A tornado crossed Merrimac, Litchfield, Londonderry and North Chester. The same storm produced hailstones that had an 11-inch circumference and weighed 1/2 pound.
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More rain in an already wet month. Monthly totals topped 11 inches at New York City, 9 inches at Bridgeport, Conn., and 8 inches at Baltimore (all three totals set records for May).
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