A storm system that spawned deadly tornadoes in Tennessee over the weekend has put parts of New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, and southern New England under flood watch through Monday. The aftermath of this system includes at least 6 reported deaths in Tennessee.
The National Weather Service has issued warnings, predicting up to 5 inches of rain on Long Island, with 2 to 3 inches expected elsewhere by late Monday morning. Farmingdale, by Monday morning, had already experienced almost 4 inches of rain. Meanwhile, upstate New York faced significant snowfall, with Middleburgh, west of Albany, receiving 6 inches in the last 24 to 48 hours.
Authorities are advising against unnecessary travel and encouraging those who must drive to carry survival gear, including blankets, a shovel, a flashlight, extra batteries, and chain tires. In response to potential flash floods and strong winds of up to 35 mph in New York City, Mayor Eric Adams activated the city’s emergency protocol.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul issued a warning, emphasizing the impact of rain and lake effect snow forecast for Monday. The western and southern Adirondacks, the Catskills, and areas downwind of Lake Ontario and Lake Erie into central New York state are expected to be affected, with up to a foot of snow predicted for areas south of Buffalo.
Prepared for the severe conditions, the New York State Division of Homeland Security and Emergency Services has readied over 1,500 generators, 500 chainsaws, almost 1,000 portable heaters, and nearly 350,000 bottles and cans of water. The state’s Department of Transport has over 1,600 snow plows on standby.
Some regions are already experiencing impassable roads due to flooding, as seen in Princeton, New Jersey, where Quaker Road is closed to emergency vehicles. NWS Boston issued warnings for Cape Cod and surrounding islands, anticipating winds up to 60 mph on Monday morning, leading to cancellations of ferry services from Falmouth, Maine, to Martha’s Vineyard until early Tuesday.
While the storm is expected to move away from the East Coast on Monday, high wind warnings will persist for 13 million people along the coast, with gusts of up to 50 mph. Winter warnings continue for approximately 6 million people from the Appalachians to Maine, with a couple of inches of snow expected, and some areas possibly receiving nearly 10 inches, particularly across northern New England.
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These weather alerts in the Northeast follow the same system that brought storms to the South. Tennessee experienced tornadoes over the weekend, resulting in six confirmed deaths in Clarksville. The tornado, with a preliminary peak wind speed of 150 mph and a 43-mile path, left 62 people hospitalized. Over 50,000 homes were initially without power across the state, dropping to 20,000 by Monday morning, according to poweroutage.us.