Category: Posts EN

Flooding Rains Cripple Weds AM Commute in Sydney!

Written by Team Morecast

 

One of the strongest storms in months has racked much of eastern New South Wales with heavy rains and high winds. A deep tap of moisture has combined with upper level energy to produce numerous severe storms. Sydney saw torrential rainfall just in time for the Wednesday morning commute. Seventy-three millimeters of rain fell in an hour between 6-7 AM, flooding streets and shutting down commuter trains. Local police responded to nearly 1,000 weather-related calls with 15 water rescues needed. Sydney Airport was down to one runway for much of the day, leading to nearly 100 cancelled flights. Delays and cancellations are also being reported with flights out of Canberra, Melbourne, and Brisbane.

 

 

Severe storms have also caused wind damage from central and northeast New South Wales. Maitland Airport reported a gust to 95 kph as storms rolled through mid-morning. The threat for organized severe storms is waning. However, moderate to locally heavy rains continue around Sydney and Newcastle. High water and urban flooding will still be a threat for the evening commute. Onshore winds are also picking up – a gust to 80 kph was recently reported at Sydney Airport, and 96 kph at Wattamolla. These winds combined with rain-loosened soils could boost the risk for trees and powerlines coming down this evening.

Heavy Rains and High Winds Target Sydney!

Written by Team Morecast

A major late-spring storm will rapidly intensify later on Tuesday into Wednesday over portions of central and eastern New South Wales. This storm will threaten the Sydney metro area with damaging winds and flooding rains.

An upper low is moving through southeast Southern Australia now and is set to move across NSW through the next few days. It will spark rapid development of a strong surface low along the NSW coast. Moist onshore flow will dump torrential rains late Tuesday into Wednesday around the central coast of NSW, including Sydney. At this time it appears the heaviest rains up to 200 mm will fall just west and south of Sydney metro. However, flooding will be still be a major concern with totals up to around 80-140 mm in Sydney itself.

Strong south to southeast winds will also be a major hazard. Peak gusts of 80-100 kph will occur along the central and northern coasts of NSW and over the adjacent mountains. The combination of high winds and heavy rains loosening soil will lead to numerous trees down and power outages.

Bitterly Cold Thanksgiving Day Expected Across the Northeast U.S.

Written by Team Morecast

 

People across the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast will be giving thanks for warm clothes and snug blankets on Thursday. A bitterly cold Arctic high is settling over the region with many cities expecting record cold temperatures. Highs will fail to reach freezing as far south as D.C. and Baltimore. Philly, NYC, and Boston will barely struggle into the 20s. Portions of the interior, where an unusually deep early snowpack has already formed, won’t escape the teens, while the northern mountains and much of Maine will remain in the single digits! For many cities this will be the coldest Thanksgiving Day on record.

Not only cold temperatures but wind will be a factor as well. Wind chill advisories are in effect for the interior, where it will feel like the teens and 20s below zero Thursday morning. Spectators of the big Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade on Thursday morning in New York City will have to brave northwest wind gusts to 30 mph, driving wind chills down into the single digits. Bundle up everybody!

Surprise Snowstorm Halts Traffic Through the Urban Corridor!

Written by Team Morecast

 

It’s only a matter of a degree or two separating wet but drivable roads and a snowy mess. Unfortunately, Mother Nature decided to give cities along the Eastern Seaboard the “cold” shoulder today. Much heavier snow has fallen than was expected, leading to traffic snarls and power outages from the Midwest to the East coast. The map below shows the deadlocked traffic situation that still exists around the New York City metro as late as 11 pm Thursday evening. Needless to say, officials and commuters across this region are frustrated.

 

 

 

Meteorologists expected temperatures to warm just above freezing as the precipitation moved in earlier on Thursday. This would have meant a mix of sleet, snow, and rain with relatively light accumulations. However, the snow moved in and became heavy quickly, locking near freezing temperatures in for a longer period than anticipated. The snow didn’t last very long but rates exceeded 1″/hr (2.5 cm/hr) in some areas. Below is a map with snow accumulations for the day around the major cities. NOTE: Totals are preliminary in the Boston area since the snow is still falling as of late Thursday evening.

 

 

It’s part of the same storm system that dropped major ice accumulations up to 0.5 inch (1.3 cm) over portions of the Ohio Valley and Appalachians late Wednesday into Thursday. Numerous traffic accidents and power outages have been the result. The storm is also producing heavy snows over the interior Northeast. Some of the higher elevations will likely see totals approaching a foot (30 cm) before all is said and down.