Rounds of rainfall to escalate flood concerns in eastern US this week

This past weekend's rainstorm was only the start of an abnormally wet pattern that will elevate the flood risk in the eastern United States into the end of the month.

The rainstorm drenched northern Virginia and Maryland with 3-7 inches of rain on Saturday and Saturday night, which triggered flash flooding, stranded vehicles and prompted water rescues and road closures.

Baltimore smashed a 131-year-old rainfall record on July 21 as 4.79 inches fell. The previous record from 1887 was 2.76 inches.

In the days following this rainstorm, residents have dealt with additional flooding downpours.

“A cycle of daily rounds of showers and thunderstorms is likely to repeat on most days this week,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Kyle Elliott said.

A stream of moisture from the tropical regions of the Atlantic Ocean will be directed at the East Coast through Wednesday, leading to days of downpours, travel delays and ruined outdoor plans.

Rainfall amounts are likely to run well above normal during this time frame, according to Elliott.

On average, most areas in the Northeast pick up 3-4 inches of rainfall during the month of July. However, some places in the mid-Atlantic have already received two times these amounts during the first three weeks of the month.

"The pattern this week can lead to additional localized totals of 5-10 inches somewhere in the corridor between the central Appalachian Mountains to the coasts of the mid-Atlantic and North Carolina," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said.

"Amounts on the upper end of that range are most likely along the eastern slopes of the mountains," she said.

As rain falls on saturated ground, the increased runoff will heighten the risk of poor drainage area flooding, as well as flooding along small streams and progressively lager rivers. Some roads may be closed and damaged by the high water.

“The pattern may escalate into a serious flood threat for some communities this week,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.

Flooding or the risk of flooding forced Hersheypark, Knoebels Groves and other amusement parks to close on Monday.

In addition to flooding, mudslides can be triggered in the mountains. People with plans to camp or hike along the mountain range will need to keep close tabs on the weather situation this week.

There is also a risk of tree damage as a few of the thunderstorms can produce strong winds. Trees sitting in extremely wet soil can topple more easily than when it is drier.

Motorists may face slower travel times on the roadways as a result of the downpours.

Airline passengers traveling into and out of the major East Coast hubs should be prepared to face an uptick in weather-related delays.

Despite the setbacks, the pattern may completely wipe out the pockets of abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions from the Carolinas to New England.

“While the pattern may not bring rain every day everywhere, people may get frustrated by the frequency of showers and thunderstorms as far as outdoor plans, sporting events and construction projects are concerned,” Sosnowski said.

The heaviest downpours may hold off until Wednesday night and Thursday in eastern New England.

Thursday and Friday are likely to offer a much-needed reprieve from heavy rainfall in the mid-Atlantic.

AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok expects the wetter-than-normal pattern to continue for much of the East into early August, following the pause in the heaviest and most persistent rain late this week.

The wet pattern may not only cause more daily rainfall records to fall, but this month can end as one of the top 10 wettest Julys on record in some communities. This includes Washington, D.C., and Baltimore.

As of Monday midday, Washington, D.C., is approximately 4 inches away from breaking their two-month rainfall record for June and July. The current record is 17.58 inches set in 2006.

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