Major flash flooding brought a river onto the road in New York. (GIF: @WeatherMonitors)
Northeastern Pennsylvania, Washington, DC, Baltimore and northern Virginia were included in a Level 2 of 5 severe-storm risk zone. Thursday’s rainfall was expected to reach about 1 to 2 inches across much of the region, with considerably higher amounts possible where successive heavy storms passed over the same locations. Pottstown, about an hour northwest of Philadelphia, recorded rainfall rates approaching 2 inches per hour, while areas south of Philadelphia saw rates exceeding 1 inch per hour.
More storms were expected into early Friday morning, some potentially severe with damaging wind gusts and perhaps a tornado, while additional rainfall could raise the flood risk in areas already saturated by Thursday’s rain. The severe-weather threat was expected to ease by midnight as the strongest storms weakened, reducing the risk of damaging wind gusts, isolated hail and tornadoes, although rain could continue into early Friday morning. Pennsylvania was also hit by intense rainfall.
Flash flooding hit parts of the US Northeast and Mid-Atlantic on Thursday after repeated storms dumped heavy rain across the region, triggering water rescues in New Jersey and flooding near Newark Liberty International Airport. The concern over further rainfall followed flash flooding in parts of New Jersey on Thursday.