Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued from New York City to Washington as significant flooding swamps Connecticut

Severe Thunderstorm Watch issued from New York City to Washington as significant flooding swamps Connecticut

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Water rescues are underway and roads have been closed in parts of Connecticut after torrential rain led to flash flooding across the region on Sunday. Flash Flood Warnings remain in effect, and forecasters estimate between 3-5 inches of rain has fallen so far.

NEW YORK – Severe storms are firing up across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic states on Sunday, packing threats of damaging wind gusts and large hail from New York City through Washington, while flash flooding is also swamping parts of Connecticut.

The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center issued a Severe Thunderstorm Watch along the Interstate 95 corridor between New York and Virginia until 10 p.m. ET Sunday evening. The watch area includes New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington.

SOME EACH COAST BEACHES CLOSED TO SWIMMERS AS ERNESTO CHURNS OFFSHORE

Severe Thunderstorm Watches are shaded in yellow.
(FOX Weather)

 

Storms are also dumping locally heavy rain in some areas, raising concerns for flash flooding across the region.

Significant flash flooding was reported in portions of western Connecticut on Sunday, prompting several road closures and water rescues in cities such as Stamford and Danbury. There were even reports of a mudslide in Danbury, which caused a major gas leak and forced evacuations in the Woodland Hills Complex, according to the NWS.

A Flash Flood Emergency was later issued Sunday afternoon for central Fairfield and northern New Haven counties in Connecticut as rainfall rates approached 2-3 inches per hour on top of the 4-8 inches of rain that had already fallen since Sunday morning.

Three-hour radar loop. Warning boxes are color coded as: Severe Thunderstorm Warnings in yellow, Tornado Warnings in red, Tornado Warnings with a confirmed tornado in purple, Flash Flood Warnings in green and Flash Flood Emergencies in pink.
(FOX Weather)

 

The FOX Forecast Center said scattered thunderstorms will increase in coverage through the afternoon and evening across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic. The most intense storms will pose a risk of damaging wind gusts up to 70 mph and hail up to the size of ping pong balls (1.5 inches in diameter).

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Any severe storms are expected to come to an end by late Sunday evening. However, a renewed severe weather threat looms for Monday in many of the same areas being threatened Sunday.

The severe storm threat on Sunday, Aug. 18, 2024.
(FOX Weather)