Severe weather is moving across the South while the Northeast braces for heavy rain
A storm system that lashed parts of the south with heavy rain on Saturday was expected to reach the northeast, bringing the risk of coastal flooding and strong winds, forecasters said.
The City of Charleston, SC, more than twenty roads closed in the city center due to heavy rain and high water.
Some reports indicated up to 3 inches of rain fell in the downtown area, said Marc Chenard, forecaster with the Weather Prediction Center. An area on the waterfront reported nearly two inches of rain within an hour, he said.
Isle of Palms, a South Carolina city of 4,300 residents about 15 miles east of Charleston, is home to police posted a message on social media urging residents “not to drive now if not absolutely necessary” as water levels continued to rise.
A tornado warning was posted for parts of the Florida Panhandle and southeastern Georgia until 2 p.m., Mr. Chenard said. A number of tornado warnings that were issued have now expired.
In Coffee County, Georgia, high winds damaged the roof of a mobile home and uprooted several trees on Saturday, said Steve Carver, Coffee County emergency management director and chief of the fire department. No injuries have been reported.
The National Weather Service said a subtropical jet streamcombined with moist air from areas including the Gulf of Mexico, would result in widespread severe weather across much of the eastern United States through Sunday.
Severe thunderstorms are possible, as well as hail.
As the storm intensifies, it is expected to move along the East Coast and reach southern New England by early Sunday morning, the Weather Service said.
High winds and sleet are forecast for northern New England Saturday night through Sunday morning, while lake-effect snow will sweep across the lower Great Lakes through Monday morning.
Accumulations of 6 to 12 inches of snow were possible in New York’s Adirondacks by late Saturday afternoon, Mr. Chenard said.
“It will be cold and windy behind the system tomorrow during the day, with some snow showers lingering,” he added.
Forecasters said up to two inches of rain could fall in the New York City region Sunday morning, with the highest totals expected in northeastern New Jersey. Peak rains are expected from 8pm on Saturday and into early Sunday.
A lingering rain won’t last very long but will be “heavy for a short time,” Mr. Chenard said, affecting northern New Jersey, New York City and the Hudson Valley.
Minor to moderate flooding may be associated with high water levels along western Long Island Sound, Jamaica and western Great South Bay on Saturday evening and Sunday morning. forecasters said.
Mr. Chenard added that it was possible that snow showers could move through New York City on Sunday evening, although an accumulation was unlikely.
“Expect heavy rain, coastal flooding and high winds this weekend,” says the National Weather Service of New York, NY. said on social media. “The potential for strong winds will also remain behind the storm into Monday.”