More than 20 million Americans targeted by flash flooding as severe storms sweep across the East
An ongoing surge of tropical moisture will bring heavy rain and potentially damaging wind gusts to the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley on Wednesday.
An ongoing surge of tropical moisture will bring heavy rain and potentially damaging wind gusts to the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley on Wednesday.
As an area of high pressure remains off the East Coast, abundant Gulf and Atlantic moisture will continue to be pulled northward across much of the Southeast, and more notably into the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley.
Overnight, heavy rain impacted portions of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia.
The downpours continue today, with a Level 1 out of 4 flash flood risk remaining in effect in this area, mainly due to the persistent nature of this rainfall.
KNOW YOUR FLOOD TERMINOLOGY: WHAT FLOOD WATCHES, WARNINGS AND EMERGENCIES REALLY MEAN
Already saturated soils cannot absorb much more rain, so even a smaller thunderstorm or downpour could increase the flash flood threat through the afternoon.
Extending northward, a bigger threat arises in the Ohio Valley, where Flood Watches remain in effect through the afternoon for areas including Columbus, Ohio; Cinncinati and Charleston, West Virginia.
This is where an area of low pressure and its extended warm front will be slow to move. As heavy rain pivots along this front, persistent storms will increase the risk of flash flooding.
This is where a Level 2 flash flood threat has been issued.
Localized rain totals could reach 1 to 2 inches or more through the day before high pressure to the north pushes the precipitation out of the region.
HOW HIGH PRESSURE AND LOW PRESSURE DRIVE THE WEATHER
Farther east, as more sunshine breaks out, severe storms could erupt, mainly across the Mid-Atlantic.
This is where a Level 2 out of 5 severe storm risk is in place, including major cities such as Washington, D.C., Richmond and Norfolk, Virginia. Storms that develop through the afternoon are capable of producing damaging wind gusts.
As high pressure builds across the Great Lakes, portions of the Mid-Atlantic and Ohio Valley will start to dry out into Thursday and Friday.
Meanwhile, rain will continue to increase the flood risk across the Southeast into late this week.
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