Flash Flood Watch Issued; Rainy Wednesday Morning Commute Expected
NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Heavy rains and flooding were expected to make for a frustrating commute for the Tri-State Area on Wednesday morning.
As CBS 2's Lonnie Quinn reported, the toughest rain was expected to strike in the morning for the second consecutive day Wednesday. Earlier in the day, the Baltimore area was pummeled with inches of rain that topped out at nearly 5 1/2 inches.
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The National Weather Service has issued a flash flood watch from midnight Tuesday night through 6 p.m. Wednesday for most of the Tri-State Area – including the five boroughs of New York City, northeast New Jersey, all of Long Island, the northern suburbs and Hudson Valley, and the entire state of Connecticut.
A low-pressure system near Lake Huron was moving into southern Canada Tuesday evening, and an onshore flow of deep tropical moisture was developing – making for a state of instability that was expected to bring intensifying showers Tuesday night and Wednesday morning, the NWS said.
The showers will likely become heavy at times, with rain falling at a rate of 1 to 2 inches per hour during the most intense periods, the NWS said. The most severe rain is expected to strike around 5 a.m. -- just in time for the morning commute, Quinn warned.
Some areas will see 1 to 2 inches of rain, while some may see 3 inches or more.
Quinn forecast the heavy rain will arrive around 2 a.m. Wednesday, and will continue through 7 a.m. But the ponding will persist on the roadways even after the heavy rain moves out, Quinn warned.
In anticipation of the flooding, the New York City Department of Transportation has decided to close the ramps of the Grand Central Parkway onto the Jackie Robinson Parkway in Queens.
In the late afternoon Wednesday, some peeks of sun may be seen, Quinn said.
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