Northeast Braces for Potential Flooding Event This Week

The storm system that is going to push down from the Rockies and into the central U.S. will eventually make its way into the Northeast, raising the threat of a major flooding event in the new week. Here is a look at how all of the right elements will be in place to cause this concern.

Flooding Likely in the Northeast in Days Ahead

An early March weather maker is going to bring heavy rain to a large portion of the eastern U.S. this week, falling on the existing snowpack and triggering a quick meltdown that will increase the risk of flooding. The storm system will track from the south-central U.S. and up into the southeastern corner of Canada in the days ahead. Torrential rain will ride along with the system as the temperatures continue to climb. The thawing snow will run off into rivers and streams at a fast clip, exacerbating the concerns of flooding.

The spring thaw flooding is a regular occurrence in the eastern U.S. The threat is typically the highest in areas with greater amounts of humidity. This risk is amplified when the energy associated with a storm is able to pull in moisture from either the Gulf of Mexico or the Atlantic Ocean.

The greatest chance of flooding at the hands of snowmelt will happen in a zone from upstate New York and northern New England and up into the southern tier of Quebec and Ontario in Canada. An influx of significant rain will hit the deep snow cover and cause these potential issues by the middle of the week.

A mass of colder air is also coming in behind the ongoing storm this weekend, helping to keep the snowpack around well into next week. The weekend storm delivered snowfall of up to 6 inches to the northern reaches of New England on Saturday. This snow will all begin to melt quickly when the warmer temperatures arrive in the days ahead.

The storm on deck for the coming week will move into the central portions of the Great Lakes and southeastern Canada on Tuesday and Wednesday. As it tracks in this direction, it will bring up the moisture-rich air from the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, resulting in bouts of heavy rain and warmer air.

The fast transition from cold to warm air will also raise the temperatures of the snowpack. You can expect the snow to begin to melt quickly once these readings surpass the freezing threshold.

Snow is measuring as deep as 3 feet in central and northern New York and over into northern New England. This immense snowpack translates to about 5 to 10 inches of water when melted. Along with the addition of 1 to 2 inches of rain coming in with the impending storm, it is easy to see why forecasters are warning of dangerous runoff and the resulting flooding issues.