Prolonged flood threat targets midwestern, northeastern US as repeated storms unleash excessive rain

By Andy Mussoline, AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist

August 12,2016; 9:52PM,EDT

 

 

Travel delays, disruptions to outdoor events and flash flooding will be threats across the Midwest and Northeast through early next week with rounds of repeated downpours on the way.
Bouts of torrential rain and thunderstorms will stream across states from Missouri to Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts into next week.
"A persistent stream of tropical air will set up from the Gulf of Mexico to the Midwest and Northeast over the next several days to fuel a prolonged flash flood threat," said AccuWeather Long-Range Meteorologist Evan Duffey.

Downpours will repeatedly hit some communities as the stubborn weather pattern persists.
Some of the downpours will be capable of producing several inches of rain in only a few hours and inundating low-lying and poor drainage areas.
Flash flooding can quickly cover roadways and small streams will burst out of the their banks. Waters can continue to rise after the rain has ended.
Never drive across a roadway covered in water. Turn around and find an alternate route.
Cities at risk through this weekend include Indianapolis; Louisville, Kentucky; Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio; and Pittsburgh.
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Hydroplaning and flooding will be risks across interstates 80, 81 76, 70, 64 and 95.
Thunderstorms are forecast nearly every day in the cities along the I-95 corridor from Washington, D.C., to Boston into next week. The overall flood threat will not be as high compared to those west of the Appalachians, but downpours will be capable of quickly flooding some areas.

A slow-moving cold front moving into the Northeast combining with plentiful moisture in the atmosphere will be responsible for the flood threat.
In addition, a meandering storm that has battered the Southeast with extreme rainfall over the past week, will get pulled northward along the front Monday through Wednesday.
"A surge of tropical moisture will stream northward next week and provide addition fuel to an already moisture-laden pattern," said Duffey.
A higher-than-normal risk for flash flooding will continue across the East into the second half of August.
"The pattern will favor tropical moisture from the Gulf of Mexico to stream northward as an area of high pressure system remains anchored off of the Southeast coast," added Duffey.