Friday, September 25, 2015

Storm to Batter East Coast With Flooding, Beach Erosion From Virginia to New Jersey

By , AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist
September 25,2015; 10:26PM,EDT
 
 
The storm that clobbered part of the South this week will drift into part of the Northeast with areas of rain, rough surf, coastal flooding and beach erosion this weekend.
The coastal areas of the Carolinas have received an average of 1-3 inches of rain thus far with local amounts of 6 inches.
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Eastern areas in the Carolinas have also been lashed by high water from the storm with incidents ranging from flash flooding to coastal flooding and from strong rip currents to beach erosion, due to a stiff northeasterly winds.
Through Saturday, rain will continue drench portions of North Carolina, westward to portions of Georgia, Alabama, Tennessee and Kentucky. Localized rainfall of 1-2 inches can occur as far west as the southern Appalachians.
During the weekend, areas of rain, rough surf, strong rip currents, coastal flooding and beach erosion will lift slowly northward.
Steady rain can extend as far west as parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania and New Jersey during Sunday.

The storm can be a hindrance for area ball games, outings and travel. The rain could also spoil a day at the beach or a hike in the mountains.
Rain could sneak into Philadelphia on Sunday and impact activities centered on Pope Francis' visit.
Some rain will eventually sneak as far north as parts of New York state and southern New England by Sunday night, will continue into Monday and may extend into Tuesday of next week.

Steady rain may move more quickly northward through the central Appalachians, rather than along the upper mid-Atlantic coast from Delaware to New Jersey and Long Island.
According to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams, "While dry air likely hold off steady rain until the last part of the weekend along the upper mid-Atlantic coast, we are concerned that areas of drizzle may break out as early as Saturday and Saturday night."
How quickly the atmosphere moistens up will determine how steady and heavy the rain becomes from northern Virginia to southern New England.
With the full supermoon and the relative alignment of the sun, moon and Earth that occurs, tides will be higher than most days of the year during this weekend. During a supermoon, the moon is a bit closer to Earth and pulls a bit more on the oceans.
Additionally, very persistent northeasterly winds have been pushing Atlantic Ocean water toward the middle part of the East coast of the United States since the start of the week.
The effects of the storm this weekend will not be anything close to what was experienced during Superstorm Sandy or other hurricanes; however, the storm will have moderate impact to coastal communities.
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As this onshore wind effect increases with the strengthening storm, even more water will be pushed ashore during the weekend. As a result, tides will run 2-3 feet above published levels from northeastern North Carolina to southern New Jersey.
Farther north, tides will run 1-2 feet above published levels from northern New Jersey to southeastern New England, including Long Island Sound. Similarly, tides will continue to run above the predetermined levels from Cape Lookout, North Carolina, to Jacksonville, Florida. High water levels will also be felt along the back bays and sounds.
People in flood prone areas during abnormally high tides may want to take precautions and preventative measures. Some low-lying coastal roads and other developed areas may be inundated during times of high tide. This includes the Outer Banks of North Carolina, Norfolk, Newport News and Hampton, Virginia, and Atlantic City, New Jersey.
Bathers and small craft operators should avoid the unprotected waters of the Atlantic Ocean from northeastern Florida to southeastern Massachusetts this weekend.
Warm waters this time of the year will be a temptation for bathers. However, rip currents will be stronger and more frequent than average. Most beaches have no lifeguards on duty.
Breakers will average between 6 and 10 feet. Seas just off the coast will average between 8 and 16 feet. A few waves can be higher.
As the system along the East coast runs its course, a tropical system may affect the Gulf states with rain and more early next week.

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