NEW YORK – The Northeast is on umbrella-alert as many head back to work and prep for New Year celebrations.
The Interstate 95 corridor from Washington to Connecticut will be the focus of the heaviest rain in the region this week and could result in flash flooding.
“There will be a corridor from about Connecticut down into Jersey, maybe even closer to the Delmarva, where this rain is enhanced by a coastal low,” said FOX Weather Meteorologist Stephen Morgan. “Regarding the widespread rain, we’ll still see it through much of Pennsylvania into New York. This zone, though, has been highlighted for the potential of maybe dealing with some flooding or excessive rain.”
Moisture and storm energy from the storm that shut down roads across the Plains with blizzard conditions is pushing east as a new disturbance forms along the cold front off the mid-Atlantic coast. This could result in up to 2 inches of rain late Wednesday into Thursday for the already saturated Northeast coast.
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The NWS New York office is already warning northeast New Jersey of river flooding and of urban and poor-drainage flooding from Philadelphia to New York City.
The heaviest rain will be over by Thursday night, but the slow-moving system will keep a chance of showers in the forecast through late Friday and even into Saturday morning.
This could lead to problems for travelers headed to Boston, New York and Washington to celebrate the New Year. FOX Weather is forecasting travel delays for airports from the D.C. Metro area through Boston.
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Roads will be wet, too, but not super slippery though. This is a warm system, and most of the precipitation will fall as rain. There is a possibility of some flurries late Friday.
“Maybe you’re traveling. Maybe you’re heading home,” Morgan said. “AAA is expecting that Thursday is going to be one of the busiest days as folks are going to be hitting the road, heading back home Thursday. Wednesday into Thursday is going to be also the wettest day of this week. So, we’ll watch that along that I-95 corridor.”
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New Year’s Eve will not necessarily be a washout though, as a weak ridge forms over the Northeast and sets up dry conditions.
“Don’t be deceived by this – these next three days – because in New York City, things are going to be improving,” Morgan said. “We’re dealing with the cloudy, sort of gloomy conditions followed by the rain, but, overall, we’re going to see things dry out for the New Year.”
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Inland areas from West Virginia through Pittsburgh and into Buffalo, New York, will not be so lucky though. While the coast is clear, a mix of rain and snow is forecast from western New York into the Appalachians.