Deconstructing Ernesto Flooding

Officemate Henry did a good job explaining the potential flood problems with Tropical Rainstorm Ernesto today in his latest video; check it out in our Video Page (PREMIUM). (Look for "Ernesto Flood Potential" or "On the scene coverage" in the video list).

What Henry is saying is that, here in Pennsylvania, we need to monitor local creeks for large rises in water. This is because of two lifting mechanisms that are in place (air lifting cools and becomes more moist).

1. Isentropic Lifting [HabyHints]: The weather is extremely cool today in State College and Ernesto's warmer air will rise over this cool dome in place, increasing the rainfall west of the storm's actual track (it's currently moving up the Chesapeake).

2. Orographic Lifting [Wikipedia]: In addition, the general rise of the air up the Appalachians will lead to increased rainfall on the eastern slopes, due to

Henry is standing in Spring Creek to do this report, the same location which was so inundated during Hurricane Ivan that I couldn't even get to the bridge you see behind him in the video (see photo of entrance to Spring Creek during Ivan flooding and other photos).

Rain totals are continuing to increase over eastern Virginia, with Doppler estimates showing 6 to 10 inches being widespread (as they were in North Carolina this morning).