Weakened Andrea Breaks Northeast Rainfall Records

The first named storm of the Atlantic hurricane season smashed rainfall totals across the Northeast and pushed some streams and creeks over their banks but sped up the Eastern Seaboard without causing major damage.

A weakened Andrea shifted away from New England on Saturday morning with winds gusting up to 45 mph. The storm was expected to reach Canadian waters by Sunday.

After bringing rain, strong winds and tornadoes to Florida, Andrea lost most of its tropical characteristics late Friday into Saturday. But it brought record rainfall for the date of June 7 for many cities and towns in the Northeast.

Andrea dumped 6.64 inches of rain on Gales Ferry, Conn. The 4.16 inches that fell on New York City’s Central Park was more than double the previous record for the date, set in 1918. The 3.5 inches of rain that fell at Philadelphia International Airport doubled the 1.79 inches that fell in 1904. Newark, N.J., saw 3.71 inches, breaking the previous mark of 1.11 inches set in 1931.

Elsewhere, cars were submerged in floodwaters on Long Island, and about 50 residents were displaced by a rising stream in Chester, Pa. A retaining wall collapsed early Saturday in Manhattan’s Washington Heights neighborhood, sending an avalanche of rubble sliding into an apartment building and leaving three families homeless. The storm was blamed for one traffic-related death in Virginia.

Late Friday, the National Hurricane Center in Miami discontinued all tropical storm warnings but cautioned about possible flooding from New Jersey to New England.

Officials in the Mid-Atlantic region and Northeast had prepared for it Friday night. New York City activated its flash flooding plan, and heavy rainfall resulted in flash floods, causing some sections of roadways to be closed throughout Long Island.

The weather service reported that small streams and creeks in southeastern Pennsylvania were going over their banks Friday night. New York City’s airports experienced flight delays, and Connecticut reported numerous lane closures on highway as cars spun out amid heavy rain.

This article appeared in print on page 4 of the June 10th, 2013 edition of Hamodia.