Another round of storms is expected to impact the East Coast through the weekend, bringing heavy rain, flash flooding and a few severe thunderstorms. Rainfall rates could exceed 2.5 inches per hour in the strongest storms. Areas that stay dry will face dangerous heat and humidity.
Just days after millions of people across the East Coast were hit with heavy rainfall, another round of storms is expected to bring inches of rain and the threat of flash flooding.
This comes as abundant moisture continues to surge northward due to a high-pressure system positioned just off the east.
(FOX Weather)
This setup is funneling Atlantic moisture inland ahead of an approaching cold front, allowing showers and thunderstorms to develop across the eastern U.S. and keeping conditions unsettled through the weekend.
Beginning Friday afternoon, a cold front will stretch from the Great Lakes into the central Plains. This will increase instability and spark showers and thunderstorms from the Southeast into the Northeast.
Rainfall rates could reach 2.5 inches per hour during the strongest storms. With many areas already saturated from recent rainfall, flash flooding will once again become a concern.
(FOX Weather)
A Level 1 out of 4 flash flood risk is in place across much of the Northeast, Ohio Valley and Southeast through Saturday. This includes major cities such as New York City, Washington, D.C., Charlotte, and Atlanta.
FLASH FLOODING POSSIBLE AS UNSTABLE ATMOSPHERE FUELS SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE SOUTHEAST
According to the FOX Forecast Center, a few severe thunderstorms are also possible Friday afternoon from Washington, D.C., to Scranton, PA. Any storms that develop could produce damaging wind gusts.
The NOAA Weather Prediction Center (WPC) has also issued a Level 1 out of 5 severe storm threat.
However, not everyone along the East Coast will experience heavy rain. Areas that miss out on the storms will instead contend with hot and humid conditions.
(FOX Weather)
Heat alerts have been issued from Philadelphia to Boston, where heat index values could climb above 100 degrees in some locations. Those alerts could be extended into Saturday.
Residents across parts of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic should expect widespread rainfall totals of 0.5 to 1 inch, with localized amounts of 1 to 2 inches or more where thunderstorms repeatedly track over the same locations through Saturday and Sunday.
Additional heavy rainfall could impact communities that experienced significant flash flooding last month. For example, Bridgeport, CT, has recorded more than 7 inches above average rainfall this year, while Albany, NY, is running more than 5 inches above average, leaving both areas more vulnerable to additional flooding.
Stay with FOX Weather for the latest forecast updates.
