Potentially Catastrophic Threat of Florence: Inland Floods After Record Summer, Gordon's Rain

Next week, Florence threatens more and more the east coast of the United States.

Although it is still too early to determine the exact trajectory of Florence next week, an increasingly likely scenario includes a landing on the east coast.

This would result in the typical and dangerous impacts of destructive winds and waves of blows on storm surge floods on the coast.

If this scenario were to occur, history would not only be at the coast.

Hurricanes and tropical storms often have a significant impact on the land.

In this case, Florence's rain could become a major problem in the interior.

Wet summer

Repeated torrential rains have flooded and flooded parts of the east, particularly since mid-July. Areas around Hershey, Pennsylvania, and Ellicott City, Maryland, were particularly affected.

According to a report recently published by NOAA, it was a record rainy summer from June to August in Hatteras, North Carolina; Washington DC (Reagan and Dulles airports); Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania; Williamsport, Pennsylvania and Concord, New Hampshire.

Overall, it was also a wet summer in Pennsylvania, in documents dating from 1895, according to the NOAA.

To add to that, the rest of what was tropical storm Gordon who was interacting with a frontal border will bring additional heavy rains to the east..

Will Florence know how to do it?

With soil moisture Running as high after the rainy summer and rain rain of Gordon, imagine what could happen if Florence absorbs the East.

Tropical cyclones and their remains are, of course, producers of heavy rainfall. Harvey in 2017 is the most prolific recent example.

But you do not need rain as heavy as Harvey to trigger flash floods and floods when you have: A) saturated soil and B) mountainous terrain, such as the Appalachians, to increase runoff.

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Hurricane Irene in 2011 caused heavy rains on the east coast, but it is probably the most memorable because of the massive flood it caused in the interior of Vermont and other parts of New England and New York State.

It can be said that the most notorious event of the eastern flood east of recent memory also comes from a tropical cyclone, Agnès.in June 1972, which caused $ 2.1 billion in damage to the United States, most of which came from domestic flooding.

Hurricane Floyd in 1999, whose torrential rains on a floor saturated by Tropical Storm Dennis A few weeks ago, massive floods occurred in North Carolina.

Again, although we are still not sure of Florence's exact trajectory, the potential for major, even disastrous, inland floods is very significant, with short-term flash floods and persistent floods on the river. a week or more.

This could even be aggravated if Florence slows down or stalls. The rain potential of a tropical cyclone depends largely on its speed of advancement. The slower the movement, the heavier the rain.

(PLUS: Hurricane Central)

According to a study of the NHCJust over a quarter of all US tropical cyclone deaths are due to rainfall floods, three times more than the wind.

If this is not enough, trees can be easily knocked down when the soil is saturated and mud or landslides can lead to higher terrain.

All interests in the eastern United States, including those located inland, should closely follow the forecasts for Florence. It's now the right time to make sure you have a plan of preparation in place.