Heavy rain, flash flooding to sweep East Coast into early this week
Localized flash flooding and travel disruptions may develop from the Ohio Valley to the Northeast as rounds of rain shift east through early this week.
Fast-moving floodwaters are shutting down roads in the Ozarks of southern Missouri, as extreme meteorologist Dr. Reed Timmer shows.
As a storm continues to move east across the Ohio Valley on Sunday, drenching rain is expected to fall across much of the eastern third of the United States. A few severe thunderstorms are also expected farther south.
Here's a timeline of expected rainfall and the regions at risk for flooding.
Flooding downpours swept across the Midwest and Ohio Valley
Periods of moderate to heavy rain spread across parts of the Midwest late last week and into the weekend. Drier weather has returned across much of the Midwest, with parts of the Ohio Valley still wet through Sunday.
General rainfall amounts of 1-4 inches were observed across the Midwest, Ohio Valley and southern portions of the Great Lakes with a maximum observed rainfall of 5.63 inches in Kilkenny, Minnesota.
After rain and storms impacted the annual outdoor Lollapalooza Music Festival in Chicago Friday and Saturday, it will be dry with the sun returning for the last day of festival on Sunday.
Rain shifts east on Sunday
The storm system will creep east on Sunday, bringing periods of heavy rain to parts of the Ohio Valley and Southeast before reaching much of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast early this week.
"[Due to] slow-moving downpours, rainfall rates that could exceed 1 inch per hour, and already saturated ground in some locations will combine to heighten the risk of flash flooding, localized road closures and rapid rises on small streams and creeks," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Renee Duff said.
On Sunday, the heaviest rain is expected across western portions of the Northeast, including Erie, Pennsylvania, and Buffalo, New York. Frequent downpours and lightning may impact outdoor activities and travel, especially along the Interstate 90 corridor.
Heading into Monday, the main area of concern shifts closer to the Northeast coast, including New York City and Boston.
"Around Albany, New York, where 8-12 inches of rain fell earlier this week, it would only take 1 inch of rain in an hour or 2 inches in three hours to trigger renewed flash flooding," Duff said.
A widespread 1-2 inches of rain is forecast from Sunday afternoon to Monday night, with heavier pockets of rain expected in southeastern Canada and along or near the Interstate 95 corridor of the Northeast. The AccuWeather Local StormMax™ is 12 inches.
"With some of this rain falling over a short amount of time in heavy thunderstorms, there can be quick flooding of low-lying and poor drainage areas, as well as streets and highways and creeks and streams," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Bill Deger said.
Most of the heavy rain is expected to move offshore late Monday night. However, a few showers may linger into Tuesday afternoon, especially farther south across parts of the mid-Atlantic.
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