NEW YORK – Nearly 1,000 miles of the East Coast, from the New York City tri-state area in the Northeast to Florida in the Southeast, are on alert for coastal flooding that will be enhanced not only by the remnants of what was once Tropical Storm Ophelia but also by king tides due to the final Supermoon of 2023.
Additionally, the rain-fatigued Northeast faces growing flash flooding concerns as another round of heavy rainfall eyes the region beginning Friday.
The upper-level remnant of Ophelia, combined with an approaching upper-level disturbance, is increasing the flood threat across the Northeast and New England into the weekend. The FOX Forecast Center says that the onshore flow of winds, in addition to the upcoming Supermoon, is increasing the flood threat in that region.
Coastal flooding, however, isn’t the only threat.
Heavy rain could lead to flash flooding across the region due to the additional precipitation and an already-saturated ground from previous rain events that could prevent more water from being absorbed.
The highest threat of flash flooding is expected to be focused across most of central and northern New Jersey, the New York City tri-state area, New York’s lower Hudson Valley, Long Island and southern Connecticut.
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“The tough thing is that amount of rain that we’re expecting,” FOX Weather meteorologist Britta Merwin said. “That part of the forecast continues to increase.”
The FOX Forecast Center says there is a good chance of 3 to 5 inches of rain falling over very populated areas in the Northeast, including New York City, Long Island and southwestern Connecticut.
Only light showers are expected during the day Thursday from the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast, but the exclusive FOX Model Futuretrack shows the remnants of Ophelia tracking back to the north as we get into the overnight hours and into Friday, pushing additional heavy rain from New Jersey to New England.
That is likely to continue into the first part of the weekend, but by the time things begin to calm down, several inches of additional rain is expected to have fallen.
“On top of what’s falling from the sky, there are coastal concerns,” Merwin said. “That’s from water being pushed in by strong winds.”
Winds could gust between 40 and 50 mph along the coast, including Atlantic City on the Jersey Shore.
Winds could also gust between 20 and 30 mph in New York City, Long Island and coastal areas of New England.
This could also lead to power outages due to some trees being brought down.
“So, this is going to feel like a nor’easter in full effect, that’s for sure,” Merwin said.
Coastal flood alerts are in effect along the East Coast from the Northeast to the mid-Atlantic because strong winds will push water onshore. Add to that the final Supermoon of 2023, which will cause higher-than-average high tides, resulting in coastal communities up and down the East Coast experiencing moderate to major flooding.
One of the cities that could see major coastal flooding is Charleston, South Carolina. That city already saw flooding when Tropical Storm Ophelia made landfall in North Carolina last weekend.
The Chesapeake Bay is also at risk of flooding as tides run higher than usual and strong winds push large amounts of water farther inland.
Coastal Flood Warnings are in effect along the coast of southeastern Georgia and northern Florida, including Savannah in Georgia and Jacksonville in Florida.
The National Weather Service in Jacksonville is warning residents and visitors that roads may be closed in the region because of the flooding potential, and floodwaters may inundate low-lying buildings, including homes, businesses and critical infrastructure.
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Beach erosion is also a concern as relentless waves continue to pound against the shoreline.
A stalled-out cold front is also bringing relentless rain and thunderstorms to the Sunshine State, which is also raising flood concerns due to the high rain totals.
And the storms aren’t going away anytime soon.