Fifth day of flash flooding threats

It’s been a rainy stretch as a large storm system has swept much of the U.S. since earlier this week. The Gulf Coast picked up the brunt of the rainfall and storms, but the Northeast will be getting the last of the flooding rains this Friday and Saturday.

A low-pressure storm system is sweeping across the Ohio Valley, northern Mid-Atlantic, and Northeast today, with eyes on just the Northeast by Saturday. Not only does this have winds gusting into the 30 to 40 mph ranges this Friday morning, with higher gusts in the mountains, but heavy rain is keeping the pavement wet and creeks and streams high.

The low pressure is sweeping up Gulf of Mexico moisture to feed the system and drop the heavy rainfall, which will slowly shift east throughout the day on Friday and into Saturday. However, those in the Northeast from Scranton, Penn., to the tippy top of Maine are in for isolated to scattered flooding from the rainfall over the next 24 hours.

Up to 3 inches of heavy rainfall could pile up by Saturday morning in the Northeast causing flash flooding issues. If you live in an area often affected by flooding or see flash flooding on roadways, remember, “Turn Around, Don’t Drown.”

Flood advisories, watches, and warnings already paint the Northeastern map. Have three ways to receive a weather warning and keep an eye on the WeatherRadar if you need to be out and about. If you can, take it slow in the downpours as well.

Very heavy rainfall hit multiple regions during the storm. Starting Tuesday, eastern Texas and Louisiana through central Mississippi picked up 5 to 10 inches of rainfall. In New Orleans on Wednesday, a flood emergency was declared due to water-covered roadways and a training storm that dropped 5 to 10 inches within a short period of time.

On Thursday, the Florida Panhandle picked up similar totals, some reaching past the 10-inch mark in Tallahassee as the rainfall streamed in from the Gulf of Mexico.

Not to be outdone, Thursday night into Friday morning had many in West Virginia and western Pennsylvania making emergency calls due to dangerous flooding from the heavy rainfall. Flood warnings are still in place Friday morning after 2 to 4 inches quickly piled up along poor-drainage areas.

A flash flood emergency was declared just west of Pittsburgh, Penn., overnight. The National Weather Service office in Pittsburgh has already declared April 2024 as the third wettest April on record… and we have plenty more of the month to go.

Follow the forecast on your Weather & Radar app and stay up to date with your local forecast.