Flash Flood Warning Issued for Boston as Heavy Rain Shifts to New England Following Flooding Rain in New York City; Severe Threat Not Over in the Northeast

Chris Dolce
Published: May 5,2017
A mess of severe thunderstorms and flooding rain have swept up the East Coast Friday as far north as New York City and Washington, D.C.
(MORE: Tornado Central)
Rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour quickly triggered flash flooding in parts of the New York Tri-State area around midday Friday. By early evening, these rainfall rates arrived in Boston and Providence, Rhode Island.
Several feet of water covered Route 44 in East Providence, Rhode Island during the evening commute.
Vehicles were stuck in flood water in Hackensack, New Jersey, and flooding was said to be widespread in Jersey City and in Willow Brook on Staten Island. At least one water rescue was performed in Newark.

Flooding prompted the closing of the main entrance into Penn Station, and water was seen cascading from the ceiling of the station.
The area of heavy rain is now pushing into southern New England. Flash flood watches are posted for parts of eastern New England, including the Boston and Providence metro areas, as well as Downeast Maine.

Current Radar, Watches and Warnings

Earlier Friday morning, the line of thunderstorms swept through Washington D.C., leading to some local flash flooding, after roaring through parts of the Carolinas and Virginia.
The National Weather Service confirmed an EF1 tornado touched down before sunrise near Oxford, North Carolina and an EF0 touched down near Edenton, North Carolina around 7:45 a.m., damaging a barn and trailer.
Another EF1 tornado downed numerous trees and damaged homes near Eden, North Carolina, near the Virginia border north of Greensboro, early Friday.

An EF1 tornado near McKenney, Virginia, early Friday morning damaged structures and downed trees. A trained spotter reported a funnel cloud with that segment of the squall line in Dinwiddie County. Winds are estimated to be between 85 and 95 mph.
Also in Virginia, an EF1 was confirmed in Dahlgren in King George County.
(INTERACTIVE: Latest Radar | Your Severe Outlook)
This is all occurring ahead of a cold front and rather vigorous southward plunge of the jet stream that will eventually evolve into a stalled-out, lumbering gyre of low pressure that will hover over the East for several days into next week.
Here are the severe weather forecast details on what to expect Friday.

Severe Weather and Heavy Rain Forecast

Friday

• Scattered severe thunderstorms may flare up in the afternoon and early evening in parts of the interior Northeast primarily from West Virginia into Pennsylvania and southward into central Virginia, with a threat of hail and damaging winds.
• Cities: Pittsburgh | Syracuse

Rainfall Outlook

A broad area of the mid-Atlantic and East could see 1 to 3 inches of rain through Friday, from the Carolinas northward into New Jersey. Local flash flooding is possible, especially in urban and poor-drainage areas.

Rainfall Forecast Through Thursday

Thursday's Storm Recap

A likely tornado tore through an auto parts store in Chatham County, Georgia, late Thursday afternoon. National Weather Service Doppler radar showed a discrete, rotating thunderstorm tracked over Garden City, Georgia. A National Weather Service survey team will investigate the area to determine whether it was a tornado and how strong it was.

Damage to an auto parts store in Garden City, Georgia, on May 4, 2017.
(WTOC TV)

Other possible tornadoes destroyed two barns and downed powerlines near Denton in southeastern Georgia, and caused roof and window damage to one home near Hendersonville, South Carolina. The damage swath was around one-quarter to one-half mile wide.
(NEWS: Damage, Injuries Reported From Thursday's Severe Weather)
An EF0 tornado was sighted from Hartsfield–Jackson Atlanta International Airport Thursday evening. Minor damage was reported to cargo buildings and vehicles on the north side of the airfield.
Straight-line winds caused part of a building to collapse onto a car in Jesup, Georgia and some large hail was reported up to half dollar sized.
Over 100 reports of thunderstorm wind damage have come in since Thursday morning in the East.

Wendesday's Storm Recap

Wednesday afternoon, egg-size hail (2 inches in diameter) was reported in downtown Henderson, Texas, as a severe thunderstorm affected the east Texas city.
(LATEST NEWS: Roads Flooded as Heavy Rain Batters Texas, Louisiana)
That same storm also downed a large tree onto a Henderson home, producing substantial damage. Luckily, the occupants of the home escaped without injuries, according to KLTV 7.
Wednesday morning, a possible tornado damaged siding and blew out windows of a structure in Pecan Island, Louisiana.
In addition, hail the size of golf balls and tennis balls was reported with severe storms in southern Louisiana Wednesday morning, including near Forest Hill, Oakdale and Glenmora.
Flash flooding also occurred in southern Louisiana. The emergency manager in Lake Charles reported 50-plus cars were stalled in high water across the city Wednesday afternoon.
Cars were reportedly stalled in floodwaters a foot deep in Lafayette, Louisiana, late Wednesday morning.
MORE: Late-April 2017 Severe Weather and Major Flooding

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