As the Northeast enjoys a brief break from the heavy rain and flash flooding that inundated parts of the region on Wednesday, the active weather pattern is far from over. FOX Weather meteorologists Jane Minar and Ian Oliver break down what’s driving the unsettled pattern and where the threat of flash flooding is expected to develop over the coming days.
After a welcome stretch of summer sunshine this weekend, the Northeast is set for another round of unsettled weather, with heavy rain and flash flooding threatening parts of the region this weekend.
On Saturday, a low-pressure system moving through the Ohio Valley and southern Great Lakes will be pushed east by an advancing cold front. As it does, deep moisture from the Atlantic Ocean will surge northward into the system, fueling a wet end of the weekend.
By Sunday morning, widespread rain and thunderstorms will develop along and ahead of the front, bringing heavy downpours from southern Ohio into Pennsylvania and western and central New York.
By Sunday afternoon, slow-moving storms may repeatedly track over the same areas, increasing the risk of flash flooding.
A level 2/4 flash flood risk is currently in place for eastern Ohio, western Pennsylvania, and western New York, including Pittsburgh, Buffalo and Syracuse.
While the exact evolution of this moisture into Monday remains somewhat uncertain, especially across the Northeast and the I-95 corridor, the potential for heavy rainfall is there across portions of southern New England and the northern Mid-Atlantic.
Flash Flood Threat in the East.
Given recent heavy rain and ongoing saturated ground conditions, a level 1/4 flash flood risk is already in place for Monday.
Widespread rainfall totals of 1-2 inches are expected through Sunday across Ohio, Pennsylvania, and western New York, with localized totals exceeding 2–3 inches.
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The renewed rain threat comes just days after historic rainfall inundated parts of upstate New York, where more than 10 inches fell in some areas near Albany on Tuesday and Wednesday, triggering prolonged flooding that swallowed cars across the Hudson Valley.
Flooding on Central Avenue in Albany trapped cars near the Colonie town line. Historic rainfall left roads underwater across parts of eastern New York this week. More than 11 inches of rain fell in parts of Rensselaer and Columbia counties, with widespread flooding reported across the Capital Region and Hudson Valley.
(Will Waldron/Albany Times Union via Getty Images / Getty Images)
While the weekend’s sunshine may offer a brief respite from this week’s flooding, residents across parts of the Northeast shouldn’t get too comfortable. With another round of heavy rain on the horizon, the region’s active weather pattern shows little sign of letting up to kick off August.
