US: Flood warnings issued for Mid-Atlantic coast December 21

Event

Heavy rain prompted the US National Weather Service (NWS) to issue flood and flash flood warnings on Friday, December 21, for large portions of the Mid-Atlantic coast, from southwestern Connecticut to Delaware, including portions of New York City and its surroundings and Philadelphia. The alerts are effective until Friday afternoon (local time). Flooding and associated transportation disruptions, including road closures, are expected. 

Flash flood warnings are in effect for Fairfield and New Haven counties in Connecticut, including the cities of New Haven and Bridgeport, along with western Suffolk and eastern Nassau counties on Long Island (New York state). There are also reports of road closures due to flooding on the Bronx River Parkway and Sprain Brook Parkway (New York state). Further west, the NWS is warning of flooding along the Saddle, Rockaway, Raritan, and Passaic rivers in New Jersey along with streams and rivers in Philadelphia and low-lying areas of northern and central Delaware.

Advice

Individuals in the affected areas are advised to monitor local weather and traffic reports, anticipate flooding and transportation disruptions, and remember that walking or driving through water can be dangerous - 15 cm (6 in) of running water is enough to knock over an adult.