Pre-holiday super soaker brings travel woes

Just in time for the biggest travel days of the year, a large storm system is impacting the East Coast bringing everything from severe weather to flooding rains and even a wintry mix.

Read the latest severe weather update where as much as a slight risk has been issued for Tuesday’s severe outbreak.

Rain has been piling up since the overnight hours. A marginal risk for excessive rainfall is in place stretching from the Florida Panhandle to southern New Jersey on Tuesday, largely interrupting one of the busiest travel days of the year.

This storm system is separated into three parts – a severe thunderstorm part, a heavy rains part, and a wintry part.

A slight risk has been issued for Tuesday’s severe weather across the western Florida Panhandle and southern Alabama. However, a marginal risk extends all the way up to Virginia Beach, Va., with the chance for isolated severe storms. Gusty winds greater than 57 mph will be the main issue, but tornadoes are possible, especially in places like Pensacola, Fla., Montgomery, Mobile, and Dothan, Ala., as well as Columbus, Ga.

Those heading to Grandma’s need to keep a close eye on the WeatherRadar for the latest look at the storm activity. Have your alerts switched on too.

Like we said before, a marginal risk – a level one out of four – has been issued for excessive flooding rains from western Florida Panhandle to the Mid-Atlantic on Tuesday. The areas needing to pay the most attention to these heavy rains are those in flood-prone areas and in drought zones, which is pretty much the entirety of the excessive rainfall risk area.

However, those along the eastern side of the Appalachians from northern South Carolina to northern Virginia should be extra aware of the highest rain totals up to 4 inches. Remember to turn around, don’t drown when you come to a water-covered roadway.

The rain will reach as far north as the Great Lakes, western New York, and lower New England, but the wintry weather starts to mix in once the storm system gets ahold of colder air.

Snow and a wintry mix will be possible starting late Tuesday evening through Wednesday in the Adirondacks through Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. This happens to be THE busiest travel day of the year so plan accordingly. Luckily, by Turkey Day, the weather quiets down.