Gusty Winds and Torrential Downpours in Store for the East Coast

The Interstate 95 corridor is bracing for a story end to the day Wednesday with the impacts expected to linger on Thursday. The same weather system that has been pushing across the U.S. over the first week of March will finally make it to the Eastern Seaboard by late in the day. Here is what you need to know about this developing situation.

Timing of Storms Could Impact Wednesday Evening Commute

Forecasters are telling those on the East Coast to be ready for times of torrential rain, severe thunderstorms, and gusty winds in the hours ahead. The approaching storm will create widespread travel delays up and down the busy Interstate 95 corridor through the overnight hours and into Thursday.

An advancing cold front will bring heavy rain and thunderstorms to the eastern U.S. on Wednesday and Thursday. While the primary zone of impact will only stretch about 100 miles in width, it will expand over 1,000 miles in length. The odd shape of this system will translate to a quick-moving storm that affects a large area from north to south.

The amount of moisture associated with this storm will create the threat of small stream and river flooding in the northern reaches of the region and into southeastern Canada. Meteorologists have been warning for days that ice jams are also a possibility thanks to the warmer temperatures from earlier in the week. Poor drainage areas are also at risk of flooding as the new round of precipitation begins to fall.