00:00A very volatile situation during the time of the year when the atmosphere is most loaded with high content moisture.
00:07It is, and this is why AccuWeather experts were sounding the alarm about the flash flooding risk here ahead of other known sources.
00:16We really ramped up the wording and the concern on Monday to give people more advance notice in order to better prepare.
00:22That's what we do here at AccuWeather.
00:23And as you mentioned, we have reports, numerous reports, including now flooding reported along Interstate 295 at 48th Ave and Cross Island Parkway in Queens, New York.
00:34This is not surprising because we've been talking about the rain rates here in the New York City metro area of 1 to 3 inches per hour.
00:42That rain is coming too fast, too furious.
00:45And generally, any time that rain is falling 1.5 inches per hour or more in the New York City area, that's when you get streets that can significantly flood, water pouring into subways, and a wide variety of other life-threatening flash flooding.
01:00And that's what we're seeing right now.
01:02And then down to the south, parts of southern New Jersey and the Philadelphia metro, flash flooding is also a concern here.
01:07We have had slow-moving thunderstorms that have been resulting in persistent downpours, and that's now moving through the corridor Trenton down toward Philadelphia, toward Wilmington.
01:17Had some significant flooding down toward the Baltimore area earlier, and then also further south across portions of northern Virginia as well from down toward Charlottesville and Roanoke as well.
01:28And some of those thunderstorms are also producing damaging winds at times.
01:31And we don't want people to let their guard down here across parts of New England either, as heavier rain is now moving back into parts of Connecticut and also into Massachusetts.
01:41And watch out in the Berkshires.
01:42The higher terrain there, the flash flooding risk can be amplified there in areas of steep terrain.
01:48And, John, you mentioned this.
01:50It doesn't take as much rain in New York City to lead to flash flooding compared to some other areas.
01:56So some of this is a result of the pre-existing soil moisture and so forth.
01:59But in New York, there's not a whole lot of soil there.
02:01No, there isn't.
02:02There's lots of streets and sidewalks and buildings.
02:05And so where does that water go?
02:07It has nowhere else but to run off and result in flooding.
02:10And the situation is such that really just an inch or two of rain in one hour results in flash flooding.
02:16And that's why we've seen that issue today.
02:18It's a great time to download the AccuWeather app across anywhere here in the eastern United States dealing with this flash flooding.
02:27Turn on push notifications.
02:29We deliver here at AccuWeather for free.
02:31Government weather warnings faster on average than any other source.
02:34That could be life-saving.
02:36And, John, there is some good news in this.
02:39But we're certainly dealing with a really dangerous evening and a dangerous night on our hands.
02:43How will this evolve as we move forward?
02:44Well, slowly, the heavy rain elements are going to move to the east.
02:48That's why that risk will amplify across parts of New England here as we make our way through the evening hours.
02:54And flash flooding at night is, of course, especially dangerous because you can't see as well what's going on around you.
02:59But then that will start to pull to the east here and refreshing lower humidity air on the way.
03:06But we've got to be careful here over the next several hours.
03:09And a special reminder that a lot of flash flood tragedies, flooding tragedies, occur related to vehicles.
03:16We know people have places to be and that they need to be traveling around.
03:20But if you get a flash flood warning and can delay your travel, that's a smart thing to do.
03:24And always, if you see water covering the road, turn around and find another route.
03:29It's going to be a much safer situation.
03:32So two to four inches on a widespread scale in the busiest, most populated part of our nation here in that second shade of green.
03:39But that AccuWeather local storm acts, there will certainly be some isolated spots to see quite a bit more than four inches of rain.
03:45So widespread problems here, John.
03:47And you mentioned the danger for travelers.
03:49As we zoom in, we have some really busy interstates and high population areas here affected.
03:54It sure is.
03:55Where tens of millions of people live here along the Interstate 95 corridor.
03:59So be extra careful if you have to do any travel.
04:02Again, that risk is going to be amplifying here across parts of New England here and into portions of New York State as well.
04:10Further up the Hudson Valley where there was heavier rain out by Middletown, New York and Newburgh, New York along Interstate 84 earlier this morning.
04:18So that can reamplify more additional rainfall, can reamplify the flooding concerns in those areas.
04:24All right, AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter.
04:26John, thanks so much for that insight.
04:28A dangerous situation on our hands right now in New York City.
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