Severe thunderstorm watches have been issued from Kentucky to Vermont, days after deadly flooding
The northeast of the country is preparing for rain on Thursday
More than 5 million people are currently under a severe thunderstorm watch until 8 p.m. EST across parts of northwestern Connecticut, western Massachusetts, central and eastern New York, and all of Vermont.
Rutland, Vt. – As New England recovers from its worst flooding in 96 years, the next round of rain is already beginning to appear.
Severe thunderstorms watch until 9 PM EDT across portions of extreme southeastern Indiana, eastern Kentucky, southern Ohio, extreme southwestern Pennsylvania, and western and central West Virginia. A severe thunderstorm watch is also in effect until 8 PM EST for most of New York, all of Vermont, and parts of Massachusetts and Connecticut.
A series of disturbances will help produce isolated showers and thunderstorms across the Northeast starting again Thursday and continuing through the weekend.
Cities and towns in the Northeast and New England have received more than half a foot of rain since Sunday, while some areas received more than 9 inches.
At least two people died in floods in New York and Vermont, which left the region reeling after its worst floods since 1927.
Those areas hit hard by catastrophic flooding earlier this week, including Vermont, will be particularly vulnerable to additional flash flooding. An additional 3 to 5 inches of rain is expected across the Northeast through Saturday.
“We are just days away from a flood emergency in the lower Hudson Valley and Vermont,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said. “And we’re going to pull in these storm surges that can bring some heavy rain, but also devastating weather when you’re trying to move forward after a flash flood emergency.”
A low pressure low and a weak cold front will gradually slide eastward Thursday toward the East Coast, renewing the chances for thunderstorms and heavy rain from the Ohio Valley to the Northeast as southerly flow ahead of the system pulls moisture northward, according to FOX. The Outlook Center said.
Upstate New York, inland New England and the upper Ohio Valley are at risk for additional flash flooding through Friday.
“We have a flood watch still in place in parts of New York and Vermont,” Merwin said. “This is a response to what happened, but also to what will happen next.”
The most significant flash flood threat moves east near the Atlantic coast on Friday, with more of New England and parts of the mid-Atlantic facing an increased risk of flooding, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
The risk of flash flooding will decrease on Saturday but could still be possible with heavy rain and thunderstorms.
Large hail and damaging winds are expected across the Northeast Ohio Valley on Thursday
Several severe thunderstorms are likely across eastern New York and western Vermont, bringing damaging winds, large hail and even a few tornadoes Thursday afternoon and evening.
NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) highlighted Schenectady, Utica, Rome, Saratoga Springs and Rotterdam, New York, as some of the largest cities in the Northeast in a Level 3 of 5 risk area for severe weather.
The Level 2 out of 5 risk for severe storms covers a greater area in the Northeast and west into the Ohio Valley.
“If you hear a tornado warning in Pennsylvania, it’s not a joke. It’s real,” Merwin said. “You need to make sure you take it seriously and seek shelter.”
The SPC forecast includes a 5% tornado danger area over eastern New York State, with a much larger 2% tornado danger area extending from the Ohio Valley to Vermont.
