“The main threat with these storms will be heavy rains and damaging winds…”

The showers and thunderstorms that brought heavy rains to portions of the Great Lakes last night and early Friday morning will continue to push eastward into the Northeast today and tonight.

Many of these thunderstorms will be strong to severe and capable of producing damaging winds, hail, and even a few isolated tornadoes from the Northeast to the eastern Great Lakes.

These storms have had a history of producing torrential downpours. The risk for flash and urban flooding will continue, especially in areas where the ground is already saturated from thunderstorms which tracked through this morning.

The area at risk for severe storms spreads from eastern New England and northern New York through Pennsylvania and Ohio. This includes the cities of Albany, Syracuse, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland.

Areas further to the south and east will also have to contend with storms this evening through tonight, including the major metropolitan areas of Boston, New York and Philadelphia.

The main threat with these storms will be heavy rains and damaging winds. Storms will be capable of producing winds in excess of 50 mph which could bring down tree limbs and power lines.

Areas prone to flooding will need to be monitored as storms traverse over the region. Drivers who encounter flooded roads are advised to turn around and find an alternative route.

A few thunderstorms may be capable of producing an isolated tornado, especially across eastern Pennsylvania and New York as well as western portions of New England.

The storms that moved through the Great Lakes last night were apart of a storm system that drenched portions of the Upper Midwest and northern Plains the past couple of days.

These storms unleashed 10.62 inches of rain in 24-hours Thursday in Dubuque, Iowa; smashing the old record of 8.96 inches set back on August 21-22, 2002.