Floods and strong winds are expected on parts of the eastern coast
Winds of 40-45 are expected to hit the East Coast this weekend, as tropical storm-like conditions develop. This may cause problems of coastal erosion and high waves. December 16, 2023.
Washington – Flood and high wind alerts have been issued for certain parts of the East Coast.
The FOX Forecast Center is tracking a strong pre-holiday storm affecting millions in at least 20 states. The storm is expected to bring heavy rains and strong winds and will continue to affect the region until early next week.
If you're among the more than 115 million Americans expected to travel 50 miles or more this holiday season, you'll need to prepare for delays on the roads and at some of our nation's busiest airports if your flight takes you east.
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“Timing is everything,” said FOX Weather meteorologist Craig Herrera. “When you talk about Sunday, Monday, that's when we see all this energy coming together.”
Storm impacts will vary as it slides along the Interstate 95 corridor.
“This is really one of those systems that is going to produce a lot of rain up and down the I-95 corridor,” Herrera continued. “You're talking about rain, more of it, from Florida to New England.”
Additionally, strong to damaging wind gusts are possible along coastal cities as a strong storm system tracks along the Atlantic coast.
East Coast Storm Preparation
Strong wind gusts increase the impact of the storm in the east
Major threats from the storm include heavy rain, flooding, and tropical storm force-like winds near the center of the storm.
While the strongest winds appear to remain offshore, sustained winds will gust between 20 and 40 mph, with gusts along the Atlantic coasts reaching 60 mph or higher.
Peak winds on Monday in the northeast (Fox Weather)
Wind warnings cover about 20 million along the Atlantic Coast from south Florida to New Jersey with wind gusts of 50-55 mph on Sunday.
Farther north, High Wind Watches cover an additional 12 million people in the Northeast late Sunday into Monday from Brooklyn and Queens in the New York City area through Long Island and coastal Connecticut, to Cape Cod in Massachusetts and up to Boston. Another hour covers Downeast Maine.
Wind speeds could reach 55 mph around Boston and 60 mph along Long Island and the eastern boroughs of New York City.
“This is going to be the part you really want to focus on as we work our way through the weekend,” says FOX meteorologist Britta Merwin.
As winds push water ashore along the East Coast, coastal flooding will become a concern for multiple states in the storm's path.
Large waves, up to 15 feet high, hitting beaches up and down the coast will also cause beach erosion through early next week.
There is also the possibility that cold air will wrap around the back side of the system as it moves northward, producing snow in parts of northeastern and northern New England.
At the region's busy airports, rain combined with low clouds will slow arrivals and departures, and the winds will also create problems for planes trying to take off or land on some runways depending on their direction.
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How much rain will the Southeast receive?
As the coastal storm moves northward, the highest rainfall totals will likely be in the Southeast and Mid-Atlantic.
It is expected to range between 2-3 inches across most of the region. However, water levels in parts of the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida Panhandle could rise between 3 to 5 inches by the time the storm moves out of the region on Monday.
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The risk of flash flooding Sunday through Monday includes southern Virginia, most of North Carolina, South Carolina and areas of northeastern Georgia.
How much rain will the Northeast get?
The Northeast and New England will not be immune to the storm, as major cities like Washington, D.C., Philadelphia, New York City and Boston could see up to 2-3 inches of rain.
Additionally, if cold air wraps around the back end of the storm, snow could fall in higher terrain in the interior of the Northeast, the Appalachian Mountains and northern New England.
The FOX Forecast Center warns that this storm could lead to significant road travel disruptions in the eastern United States, starting Saturday.
“It's a very popular stretch of the drive,” Merwin said. “I mean, the 95 corridor on any given weekend could get shut down. But keep in mind that next week is the last full week before Christmas, and we're also finishing up Hanukkah. You know, there's going to be a lot of people trying to drive up and down the East Coast.”
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Flood alerts have been issued
The rain and strong onshore winds accompanying this storm will cause flooding inland and on the coast.
The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning from Sunday evening through Monday afternoon throughout Delaware, most of New Jersey and parts of Maryland and Pennsylvania. Meteorologists expected up to 3 inches of rain in the area. This may lead to flooding of rivers, creeks, creeks and other low-lying and flood-prone locations.
A coastal flood warning has been issued from southern Virginia to northern South Carolina. Forecasters said flooding between two and three feet high was likely in low-lying areas near beaches and tidal waterways.
