Along the Eastern Seaboard, cities grapple with the repercussions of a significant storm system poised to unleash torrential rain, high winds, and severe thunderstorms.Â
This formidable weather front wreaked havoc in Florida and South Carolina over the weekend, and its disruptive influence is predicted to persist until Monday.
The National Weather Service Tampa Bay reported coastal flooding in the Tampa Bay area on Saturday due to incessant rainfall.
By noon on Sunday, over 33,000 customers in the state were plunged into darkness, as per PowerOutage.us. However, rapid restoration efforts dwindled to fewer than 2,000 by Sunday night.
Charleston, South Carolina, bore the brunt of the storm, shattering daily rainfall records, with downtown Charleston logging an impressive 3.86 inches of precipitation.
According to the NWS, Charleston Harbor experienced a peak tide of 9.86 feet—an extraordinary occurrence, ranking as the fourth-highest tide on record and the loftiest not linked to a tropical system.
The relentless downpour resulted in downtown road closures in Charleston, prompting the local police department to advise drivers to avoid the roads whenever possible. Disturbing footage from Myrtle Beach and Cherry Grove in South Carolina portrayed street flooding and formidable winds, as shared by storm chaser Andrew Elswick.
As the system progressed, moderate rainfall precluded the Washington, D.C., area, delivering up to 1.25 inches of rain in three hours on Sunday night.Â
The National Weather Service office in Sterling, Virginia, issued a flash flood watch for the region through 6 a.m. Monday.
Philadelphia and New York City braced for the storm’s escalation. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York initiated preparations for heavy rain and high wind gusts, contemplating potential tree removal from train tracks.
A travel advisory was issued for Sunday and Monday, cautioning residents about anticipated coastal flooding up to 1 or 2 feet by Sunday night.
Heavy rain is on the horizon in Maine, with the National Weather Service for Portland and Gray anticipating “significant rainfall” across mountains and foothills from Sunday night into Monday.
The potential for river rises, coastal flooding during high tide on Monday, and inland flooding from rainfall and snowmelt adds to the concerns.
Federal forecasters attribute this weather phenomenon to an “intense low-pressure system” drawing moisture from the warmer Atlantic waters and propelling it along the coast.
The clash between warm and cold air is expected to fuel thunderstorms and intensify the rainfall within the counterclockwise-spinning storm, characterized by the weather service as “intense.”
Source: assets.bwbx
