Downpours, Flooding Head to Mid-Atlantic | WeatherBug
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Downpours, Flooding Head to Mid-Atlantic

August 11, 2022
UPDATED by WeatherBug Meteorologists
A part of the U.S. that can’t catch a break from flooding will be at Mother Nature’s mercy through the middle of the week. A stubborn front will be the catalyst for soaking downpours that will add insult to injury. To boot, another part of the U.S. that can’t escape the rain will see thunderstorms produce localized flash flooding this afternoon and evening.

Flood Watches, Warnings and Advisories span from Kentucky and northern Tennessee to Maryland, including parts of Ohio and Pennsylvania and threatening cities such as Frankfort and Lexington, Ky., Charleston, W.Va., Washington D.C., and Baltimore, Md. 

Repetitive storms on top of already saturated soil from recent rainfall will prove problematic for small rivers and creeks. Urban flooding will also occur in heavier downpours, with the best chance for flash flooding in the afternoon and evening each day. As the front settles into the Mid-Atlantic today, repeated storms developing in the afternoon will trigger flash flooding, especially along the Appalachian ridge and I-95 corridor.

The cold front triggering the rain will finally settle south into the Carolinas and Southeast on Thursday and a fresh batch of Canadian air will bring an end to not only the rain but the high heat and humidity across the Northeast. The high pressure will stay anchored over the Great Lakes through the weekend, bringing a comfortable air mass and chance to clean up following recent flooding.

Jackson, Ky., has already tipped the bucket this month with 1.57 inches compared to an average of 1.28 inches through the first eight days of August. This same location had a record soggy July with a whopping 14.86 inches of rain, obliterating the former wettest July of 1985 with 9.74 inches. Further east over West Virginia, Charleston had its third wettest July on record with 9.95 inches of rain. 

Keep an eye on the latest flood alerts and remember if you approach a flooded roadway to “Turn Around, Don’t Drown,” as water is usually deeper than what it appears. Six inches of water will reach the bottom of most passenger cars and cause loss of control and stalling. A foot of water will float many vehicles.