Drenching rain to disrupt holiday travel across eastern US

By Renee Duff, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

December 23,2015; 8:27PM,EST

 

 

Rounds of heavy rain will cause it share of problems along the eastern United States leading up to Christmas.
"Travelers up and down the Eastern Seaboard will have to contend with delays and disruptions," AccuWeather Meteorologist Bill Deger said.

Record-challenging warmth and more rain on Thursday

Following a storm that brought steady rain to the eastern half of the country on Tuesday, a larger storm will bring even heavier rainfall to many of the same locations prior to the end of the week.
Cities to be impacted by periods of heavy rain into Christmas Eve include Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C, Pittsburgh, Atlanta, Nashville and Charlotte, North Carolina.

Rain will douse these locations, causing a headache for many hitting the roads.
A widespread 1 to 2 inches of rain is likely across the Northeast, with higher amounts to the south.

Record-breaking warmth has kept snowy and icy conditions at bay, dashing any remaining hope of a white Christmas across the East.
"The biggest issue [for drivers] will be reduced visibility and slick road conditions," AccuWeather Meteorologist Evan Duffey said.

Fog can be especially dense in portions of the Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic and New England coasts.
Duffey encouraged travelers to make a point of allowing themselves some extra time when heading to their holiday destinations.
Low-hanging clouds could contribute to airline delays. Under these conditions the arrival and departure of individual aircraft must be spaced farther apart, when compared to clear conditions.
Track the rain before heading out by using AccuWeather Minutecast®.
Drivers should reduce their speed when driving through heavy rain to lower the chance of hydroplaning.
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The potential for flash flooding also exists, mainly in southern areas.
"Flash flooding is of particular concern along a corridor from Alabama and Georgia north through the western Carolinas and Virginia, where rain will total several inches into Thursday," Deger said.

Motorists should turn around and find an alternate route to their holiday destinations whenever a flooded roadway is encountered.
Although the bulk of the rain will exit the Northeast by Christmas Day morning, showers could linger across the mid-Atlantic and will erupt again over parts of the Mississippi and Ohio valleys.