Gusty storms to drench northeastern US into Wednesday night
By
Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Jul 8, 2020 1:20 PM EDT
Thunderstorms will mean business in portions of the northeastern United States into Wednesday night as the combination of a disturbance passing through the Canadian province of Quebec and plenty of moisture could result in locally severe weather.
The most common characteristics of the storms, which will begin to build as early as the midday hours in some locations, are expected to be torrential downpours.
Even a thunderstorm that lasts 30 minutes or less will have the potential to produce urban and small stream flooding with rainfall at the rate of 1-2 inches per hour. Rainfall at that pace can overwhelm storm drains and rapidly fill drainage ditches. This effect will be greatest but not limited to urban and suburban locations where there are more paved surfaces and greater runoff.
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While any thunderstorm has the potential to pulse and become severe for a short time during the afternoon and evening hours in July, the disturbance passing nearby in southern Canada can give storms over New England and parts of eastern New York state, northeastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey a big boost.
These northern tier storms, in addition to the risk of flooding downpours, will carry the risk of strong wind gusts and hail in a few instances. Winds can be strong enough in some neighborhoods to knock down trees, break large tree limbs and cause power outages.
Motorists are advised to keep alert for rapidly changing conditions on the road and never drive through areas taking on water. The water may be deeper than it appears or may still be rising. It is also possible the road surface may have been washed away.
Torrential downpours caused creeks to rise rapidly in the Philadelphia area on Monday, leading to a number of water rescues. In nearby Morristown, New Jersey, heavy rain and hail pounded the region and toppled a tent in one person's driveway.
People spending time outdoors should seek shelter indoors or in a hardtop vehicle at the first rumble of thunder. If you can hear thunder, you could be struck by lightning.
As the week progresses, coastal areas can expect a budding tropical system, currently along the North Carolina coast, to bring a period of downpours and rough surf. The system is likely to become a tropical depression and could gather the name Tropical Storm Fay.
Areas well inland over the mid-Atlantic region and the central Appalachians may escape rain from the tropical system initially to end this week, but they are likely to pick up more thunderstorms from a non-tropical system by this weekend.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Severe Weather
Gusty storms to drench northeastern US into Wednesday night
By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Jul 8, 2020 1:20 PM EDT
Thunderstorms will mean business in portions of the northeastern United States into Wednesday night as the combination of a disturbance passing through the Canadian province of Quebec and plenty of moisture could result in locally severe weather.
The most common characteristics of the storms, which will begin to build as early as the midday hours in some locations, are expected to be torrential downpours.
Even a thunderstorm that lasts 30 minutes or less will have the potential to produce urban and small stream flooding with rainfall at the rate of 1-2 inches per hour. Rainfall at that pace can overwhelm storm drains and rapidly fill drainage ditches. This effect will be greatest but not limited to urban and suburban locations where there are more paved surfaces and greater runoff.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
While any thunderstorm has the potential to pulse and become severe for a short time during the afternoon and evening hours in July, the disturbance passing nearby in southern Canada can give storms over New England and parts of eastern New York state, northeastern Pennsylvania and northern New Jersey a big boost.
These northern tier storms, in addition to the risk of flooding downpours, will carry the risk of strong wind gusts and hail in a few instances. Winds can be strong enough in some neighborhoods to knock down trees, break large tree limbs and cause power outages.
Motorists are advised to keep alert for rapidly changing conditions on the road and never drive through areas taking on water. The water may be deeper than it appears or may still be rising. It is also possible the road surface may have been washed away.
Torrential downpours caused creeks to rise rapidly in the Philadelphia area on Monday, leading to a number of water rescues. In nearby Morristown, New Jersey, heavy rain and hail pounded the region and toppled a tent in one person's driveway.
Related:
People spending time outdoors should seek shelter indoors or in a hardtop vehicle at the first rumble of thunder. If you can hear thunder, you could be struck by lightning.
As the week progresses, coastal areas can expect a budding tropical system, currently along the North Carolina coast, to bring a period of downpours and rough surf. The system is likely to become a tropical depression and could gather the name Tropical Storm Fay.
Areas well inland over the mid-Atlantic region and the central Appalachians may escape rain from the tropical system initially to end this week, but they are likely to pick up more thunderstorms from a non-tropical system by this weekend.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo