This chef cooks for the victims of Ida in the USA 3:51
(CNN) -
The National Weather Service has warned that flash floods and heavy rains associated with tropical depression Ida will lead to flash floods that will endanger the lives of parts of the North Atlantic on Wednesday.
"Flash floods, some of them significant and life-threatening, are expected during the late morning and early afternoon as Tropical Depression Ida approaches the region from the southwest," said the Prediction Center. Weather (WPC) this Wednesday morning.
Warning of "high risk" of flash floods in northeastern US this Wednesday
The areas of greatest concern are northern Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, and eastern West Virginia.
Hourly rainfall rates of 50.8 to 76.2 millimeters are expected in the strongest storms, with total amounts up to 152.4 millimeters, with the possibility of isolated incidents of greater magnitude.
"Flash flood emergency level rainfall impacts are possible as we approach the evening hours," the WPC said, referring to the higher flood warning level that often indicates immediate threats. and meaningful to life and property.
The remnants of Ida could trigger flash flooding in southern New York and southern New England later this Wednesday.
"127 millimeters of rain just doesn't happen in this region very often," said CNN meteorologist Brandon Miller.
"We could easily record some deadly flash floods like the ones that happened in Tennessee last week."
Following reports of an uncontrolled spill from Pennsylvania's Wilmore Dam, which has caused flash flooding downstream of the dam, the National Weather Service issued a flash flood emergency, the highest threat level.
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The closest town to the dam is Wilmore.
The meteorological service warned that this is a particularly dangerous situation.
A tornado watch was also issued for parts of southeastern Pennsylvania, the agency said in a tweet.
In the wake of Hurricane Ida and the lack of electricity, Louisiana now faces a gasoline shortage and declining supplies
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf on Wednesday urged residents to stay home and take the storm seriously.
"This is an extremely dangerous storm that is impacting the entire state. As we continue to monitor conditions, I ask everyone to please stay home if you can," Wolf said in a statement.
"If you have to travel, please keep an eye on the latest road conditions and weather updates."
Ida made landfall in Louisiana on Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane, and although it has weakened significantly since then, it has still dropped heavy rain across the southeast on its way north.
The WPC declared a "high risk" of rainfall over parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
The map shows the prediction of excessive rainfall for this Wednesday.
Turquoise: marginal;
Light blue: light;
King blue: moderate;
Violet: high.
The WPC issued the highest alert level (4 out of 4) for excessive rainfall from southern and eastern Pennsylvania to Connecticut.
More than 60 million people are on flash flood warnings for parts of the central Appalachians, the Mid-Atlantic and as far south as New York and southern New England.
Rains of 76.2 to 203.2 millimeters are expected with isolated higher amounts expected in the next two days in this area.
Northeast braces for potential flash floods
Areas that do not normally experience flash floods will be flooded.
Lives and property are in great danger through Thursday morning from the northern Mid-Atlantic to the northeast.
The @NWSWPC has most of our area in a high risk of excessive rain Wed-Wed night.
This signals high potential for significant flooding impacts.
The last time some of our area was in a high risk: 3/13/10, 3/29/10, 9/30/10 (Nicole), 8/27/11 (Irene) & 9 / 6-7 / 11 (Lee), & 8/4/20 (Isaias) pic.twitter.com/SdV47OX7Xe
- NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) September 1, 2021
"Gulf hurricanes often have a 'second card to play' when they hit the Northeast," Miller said.
"The eastern slopes of the Appalachians are vulnerable to flooding due to geography. All the moisture from the Gulf and even the Atlantic is pushed against the mountains by circulations around Ida. The mountains increase precipitation, and then gravity takes over. of the water flowing downhill, which can cause major flash floods, "Miller said.
[Excessive Rain Outlook] Zoomed-in version of the Excessive Rain Outlook valid Wed-early Thu.
HIGH risk in much of central & southern CT.
Infographic from @NWSWPC to add context to what a HIGH RISK of excessive rain means.
Rare issuances but result in most flood-related damage.
pic.twitter.com/9wh7R5S5Dx
- NWS Boston (@NWSBoston) August 31, 2021
According to the Center for Weather Prediction, high-risk days like today are less than 4% of the days of the year.
However, high-risk days account for 2 out of every 5 flood-related deaths, and 9 out of 10 flood-related damages.
We could record precipitation rates of 25.4 to 50.8 millimeters per hour within the heavy downpours that are expected, causing rapid flooding of rivers and flash floods in urban areas.
The tornado threat will also continue in this same region by Wednesday.
Risk of severe storms from the Mid-Atlantic to the Northeast.
Multiple tornadoes and damaging winds scattered across parts of the Mid-Atlantic are likely, primarily during the afternoon and evening.
A level 3 out of 5 tornado risk covers the Mid-Atlantic, including Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington.
New York City is at a level 2 of 5.
New York state agencies are preparing for Ida to cover the state with 152.4 millimeters or more of rain in some areas and for the threat of an isolated tornado.
How to be safe from tornadoes?
Agencies are preparing response resources, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Wednesday, with thousands of pieces of equipment ready to deploy and a Department of Transportation command center to support 24 hours a day.
"New York City, Long Island, and the Southern Tier, Mid-Hudson Valley and Capital District areas could see up to 152.4 millimeters of rain, with locally higher amounts, when Ida passes through the area," the statement from The governor.
"There is also the possibility of strong storms with gusts of wind through early Thursday, as well as the threat of an isolated tornado, especially for the southern areas of the state," the statement said.
"Ida is expected to move rapidly northeast and the rains to end in eastern parts of the state by late Thursday."
Similarities Between Hurricanes Ida and Camille
"There are certainly a lot of similarities to Ida and Camille over 50 years ago," Miller said.
"Both storms formed in the same location, struck near the same location, and both have a similar trajectory over the northeast. The Camille floods in the northeast were deadly."
That storm carried as much as 685.8 millimeters of rain to parts of the Mid-Atlantic, causing rivers to swell that washed away towns in Virginia.
Camille first struck the United States as a dangerous Category 5 hurricane along the central Gulf Coast in August 1969.
The storm followed a path very similar to that of Ida across Tennessee, Kentucky, and the Mid-Atlantic coast.
CNN's Monica Garrett, Judson Jones, Mirna Alsharif, Kristina Sgueglia and Eric Levenson contributed to this report.
Floods United States