U.S. Northeast was hit by severe storms on Sunday night into Monday, causing airline cancellations and the possibility of life-threatening flooding from North Carolina to New Hampshire and beyond.
Threat level: New York Governor Kathy Hochul reported “missing individuals” in flood-ravaged Orange County and one death due to the inundation on Sunday night, and the National Weather Service warned New York and Vermont Monday could see catastrophic flooding similar to the remnants of deadly Hurricane Irene in 2011. Flash Flooding in New York Causes Water Rescues as Rains Hit. Northeast
By the numbers: As the slow-moving storm system brought heavy rain to major cities like New York, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., and New Jersey, hundreds of flights were canceled or delayed. More than 42 million people were under flood watches.
State of play: Due to “significant flooding over the past two hours,” Hochul announced late Sunday that she has extended her local state of emergency to encompass Ontario County as well as Orange County. On Sunday evening, dozens of people in both counties needed to be rescued from the water.
Over 150 water related call including dozens of water rescues. Currently state fire, Monroe county water rescue, Ontario county water rescue and several other agencies are assisting. pic.twitter.com/bvNMKjPkKd
— Canandaigua Fire (@IAFF2098) July 10, 2023
- State Representative Mike Lawler (R-NY) tweeted, “Significant flooding in Stony Point — homes and cars — and many people evacuated…. roadways have been flooded and washed out.” Lawler represents the Hudson Valley area, where a flash flood emergency was proclaimed for the Lower Hudson Valley.
- A representative for the United States Military Academy at West Point told CNN that residents in Orange County had to swim to safety from their automobiles as a result of the flooding. The Cornwall Office of Emergency Management reported “stranded vehicles, water rescues,” as well as mudslides, toppled trees, and debris around the county.
- Bronx, New York, Westchester, and Rockland counties in New York, as well as parts of southern Connecticut, were all under flash flood warnings. Multiple routes in Westchester County were reported closed by law enforcement.
Meanwhile, severe rains in the Philadelphia area led to reports of flooded highways, and the Red Cross reported helping 39 people in Reading, Pennsylvania who had been displaced by floodwaters.
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Driving the news: “The clash of a relatively strong summer cold front with an anomalous plume of tropical moisture sets the stage for a high risk of excessive rain and flooding on Monday in the Northeast,” as reported by the National Weather Service.
- “Organized areas of heavy rain with thunderstorms are expected to produce intense rain rates and the potential for significant flooding across parts of New England, especially in Vermont.”
- Heavy rain is forecast for parts of New England on Monday, and the National Weather Service (NWS) in Burlington, Virginia, has issued a high risk of heavy rainfall warning for the first time.
- “Organized areas of heavy rain and thunderstorms are expected to produce intense rain rates, especially in the high risk area of Vermont and northeastern New York,” it said.
Context: The frequency and severity of extreme precipitation events are both increasing as a result of climate change.
This is because increased moisture and energy for storm systems result from the increased capacity of a warmer environment to hold water vapor.
Keep up with the news and get some food for thought by visiting the website CaliforniaExaminer.net.