The combination of remnants of Hurricane Beryl and a passing front is creating a dual severe weather risk for the Northeast, bringing a rare tornado threat and the potential for major flooding through at least Thursday morning.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms have already begun to form in the region, but the rain is expected to increase in extent and intensity throughout the day on Wednesday.
Beryl is already posing a severe tornado threat as it moves across the eastern U.S. On Monday, 118 tornado warnings were issued, the most in a single day in July, and multiple tornadoes were reported in the Ohio Valley on Tuesday, with the threat moving toward the Northeast on Wednesday.
Parts of Central New York state saw their highest tornado threat in two decades Wednesday afternoon as remnants of Beryl moved into areas of increasing wind shear and atmospheric instability.
“This is something to watch,” Fox Weather meteorologist Craig Herrera said. “We’re going to have a supercell developing this afternoon so be careful and make sure you’re in a safe place.”
The National Weather Service’s Storm Prediction Center issued a tornado watch until 9 p.m. ET for upstate New York, northern and central Pennsylvania and parts of Vermont. Damaging wind gusts of up to 70 mph are possible along with the threat of tornadoes.
A severe thunderstorm watch is also in effect until 10:00 PM ET for parts of the District of Columbia, Maryland, southern Pennsylvania, Virginia and far eastern West Virginia.
“The greatest threat for tornadoes will likely be within an east-west corridor from southeast of Buffalo to west of Albany,” SPC forecasters wrote Wednesday morning.
The worst of the weather is expected mid-afternoon through the evening.
Beryl will bring heavy rain to areas devastated by 2023 floods
Much of the Northeast and New England is at risk of heavy rain and flooding.
“This energy is coming from the southwest. It affected the Ohio Valley region overnight and moved over the Great Lakes, causing lake levels to rise as it passed through this afternoon. It could reach two to three inches per hour,” FOX Weather meteorologist Steve Bender said.
NOAA’s Weather Prediction Center stresses that New York, Vermont and New Hampshire are at least at moderate risk of flooding, which could increase if thunderstorms cluster in the area. Areas at highest risk include the Vermont cities of Burlington and Montpelier, and the New York city of Plattsburgh.
The incident is reminiscent of floods that hit the area about a year ago. The NWS issued its first flood emergency for the region..
Many areas of Vermont saw between 5 and 10 inches of rain. Terrain rise.
This weather phenomenon occurs when warm air rises over a mountain range, but cools and condenses as it rises, which causes clouds to form and can produce very heavy and unpredictable rain.
Forecast models show some areas could see at least 3 inches of rain, with even more possible, especially in areas west of the mountains.
NWS meteorologists say the damage this time isn’t expected to be as widespread as the 2023 disaster, but anyone living in areas at risk of flooding should be prepared to move to higher ground.
Because of the threat, flood watches have been issued for four states until at least Thursday morning.
The threat of widespread heavy rain and storms is expected to end on Thursday as most of the storm’s energy moves away from the region.
Damage reported in Western New York
In western New York, damage to homes and trees was reported as thunderstorms moved through the region from west to east.
New York State Police said they were assisting storm-affected residents in Chautauqua and Erie counties.
More than 10,000 power outages were reported in nearby areas, with nearly 50,000 reported in the Northeast.
Erie County Mayor Mark Poloncarz said the town of Eden has been placed under a state of emergency due to the widespread damage.
“Many farms have sustained significant damage, especially barns which have been completely burned down and animals injured. Thankfully there have been no reports of human casualties,” Poloncarz said in a social media post.
