Violent Storms Threaten NYC, Pittsburgh, Roanoke

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

May 31,2015; 11:43PM,EDT

 

 

Heavy and gusty thunderstorms will continue to threaten parts of the mid-Atlantic as May comes to a close.
The greatest threat for the strong thunderstorms on Sunday afternoon lies from extreme southern New England to eastern West Virginia and the I-81 corridor of Virginia. The threat zone also trails southward to the North Carolina mountains.
New Haven, Connecticut; New York City; Allentown, Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Bluefield, West Virginia; Hagerstown, Maryland; Roanoke and Winchester, Virginia; and Asheville, North Carolina, are among the communities at risk.

While the greatest threat for severe weather lies to the north and west, a stray strong thunderstorm interrupting outdoor activities and forcing people indoors will still rumble along the I-95 corridor from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C., to Richmond, Virginia.
Anyone with outdoor plans is urged to keep an eye to the sky and AccuWeather MinuteCast® to know when to seek shelter ahead of the violent thunderstorms.
"The stronger storms that develop on Sunday will have the potential to produce damaging winds, hail and blinding downpours," stated AccuWeather Meteorologist Brian Thompson.
An isolated tornado cannot be ruled out, especially in central Pennsylvania. Some downpours could also trigger flash flooding.
Regardless of the severity of the thunderstorms, the threat of being struck by lightning is present as soon as thunder is heard.
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Despite the potential for damage and the disruptions to outdoor plans, the rainfall to end May will be welcome with many communities in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast experiencing a rainfall shortage.
Roanoke, Virginia, has only received 28 percent of its normal rainfall for May as of Saturday. That percentage is down to nine in Boston, proving that the city will benefit from the rainy start to June that is shaping up.

Additional heavy showers and thunderstorms will target the mid-Atlantic on Monday, keeping the threat for flooding high.