By Meteorologist Chris Dolce, CNN
(CNN) — Drenching storms sweeping through the East Coast on Thursday could unleash significant flash flooding, damaging wind gusts and a tornado or two.
Live in the Northeast? Track the storms, find out your local risk and get more detailed timing from meteorologists in the CNN Weather app
More than 25 million people are in flood watches along the Interstate 95 corridor in the Northeast. The watches span from the New York City area south through much of New Jersey and into northern Delaware and include Philadelphia.
Evening commuters in these areas could encounter serious disruptions with storms expected to fire up in the late afternoon and last through the evening hours.
The storms will be generated by a cold front that already caused flash flooding in central Ohio early Thursday morning. Multiple water rescues and road closures were reported near Columbus, Ohio, according to CNN affiliate WBNS.
The Northeast storms won’t last long, but some will wring out very intense rain falling at rates of 1 to 3 inches per hour.
Heavy bursts of rainfall like this are notorious for causing flash floods, especially in urban locations in the East. New York City’s aging sewer infrastructure can only handle around 1.75 inches of rain per hour before it’s overwhelmed and flash flooding can occur
Extreme rainfall rates are becoming more common as planet-warming pollution pushes temperatures higher because warmer air holds more moisture. Weather systems can then wring that moisture out like a water-laden sponge, yielding heavy and often highly localized downpours.
Most locations will see at least 1 to 2 inches of rain, but areas hit by multiple storms or the most intense rainfall rates could receive up to 3 to 5 inches of rain in just a couple of hours.
Some storms could intensify
Some of the storms could intensify enough to bring damaging winds and hail in many of the same areas at risk for flooding.
Damaging wind gusts will be the most widespread threat, especially in central and southern New Jersey, Philadelphia, Delaware and eastern Maryland. The most intense bursts of wind could down trees and knock out power.
Isolated tornadoes are also possible in the northern part of the severe risk area seen in the graphic below.
Much of the flooding rain and severe storm threats should end around midnight as the cold front pushes off the East Coast.
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