Rain, storms and high winds to blast northeastern US at midweek

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist

February 24,2016; 7:14PM,EST

 

 

Heavy rain and thunderstorms with the risk of flooding and damaging wind will swing across the northeastern United States through Wednesday night.
The cold air that allowed a bit of snow, sleet and freezing rain in parts of New England began to erode during Wednesday midday.
The same storm will bring heavy snow to parts of the Midwest and a tornado outbreak in the Southern states.
"With the storm taking a track west of the Appalachians, warmer air will stream northward over much of the eastern quarter of the nation, resulting in rain for many areas," according to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams.

The heaviest and steadiest rain in most locations and will swing northeastward across the mid-Atlantic states during Wednesday night, before exiting New England during Thursday morning.
Winds will increase, along with the rain.
While the greatest risk of severe thunderstorms, including tornadoes will stretch from Virginia on south, the storm is likely to produce a squall line, which is a combination of brief torrential downpours and strong winds, along much of the I-95 corridor.

Timing for the squall will be toward dusk in the Washington, D.C., and Baltimore areas, with Philadelphia likely to be affected during the early evening. The squall will pass through the New York City area later in the evening.
Areas well inland could be hit by the squall, including Roanoke, Virginia; Martinsburg, West Virginia; Pittsburgh; and Binghamton, New York.
The squall will hit portions of New England, including Hartford, Connecticut; Providence, Rhode Island; Portland, Maine; and Boston, during late Wednesday night into part of the Thursday morning rush hour.
The squall will be potent enough to cause poor visibility and a risk of hydroplaning for motorists, as well as the potential for airline delays. Most gusts will range between 40 and 50 mph but can be locally higher.
In addition to the threat for urban flooding, downed tree limbs and sporadic power outages, there could also be a period of coastal flooding.
RELATED:
AccuWeather US spring forecast
Severe storms, tornadoes to eye Louisiana to Florida and Georgia
Northeast US interactive weather radar
"Strong south to southeast winds will push Atlantic Ocean water toward Long Island and the southern coast of New England with the risk of minor coastal flooding at times of high tide during Wednesday night," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.
At the end of the storm, during Thursday into Thursday night, enough cold air will filter in to allow snow showers from Charleston, West Virginia to Pittsburgh; and Buffalo, New York.
Up to a few inches of snow may fall from parts of the Appalachians to the lower Great Lakes as colder air circulates in and lake effect develops prior to the end of the week.