*** Paul Piorek is editor and publisher of Paul's Local Weather Journal for southwestern Connecticut ... Paul is the on-air meteorologist at WICC 600 AM and 107.3 FM ... Paul is a New York Emmy award winner (2007), five-time Emmy nominee, and four-time winner of the Connecticut Associated Press Broadcasters' Association award for Best TV Weathercast (2006, 2008, 2009, 2012) ... Paul was voted Best Local Television Personality by the readers of Fairfield County Weekly Magazine (2012) ... Paul was inducted into the Housatonic Community College Hall of Fame and received the Distinguished Alumni Award (2012) ... The local weather journal is a two-time winner of the Communicator Award of Distinction (2012 & 2013) ... Paul is currently a full-time teacher of Earth Science and Mathematics in Fairfield ... Follow Paul on Twitter @PaulPiorekWICC ...

Friday, June 7, 2013

Tropical Rain to Bring Flooding to Region

This time I prepared well ahead of time for the remnants of Tropical Storm Andrea. I climbed the ladder and cleaned out the gutters, I double-checked my sump pumps, and I moved everything in the basement to higher ground. As you may know, I live across the street from a lake, and my home was built over a stream. My basement floods routinely every time we have heavy rain.

Flooding rain is expected later this afternoon and early tonight as the remnants of Tropical Storm Andrea move across the region. The storm will track to the East, meaning we'll be on the Western (or rainy) side of the storm. The strongest wind gusts will affect extreme Eastern New England. The projected rainfall totals are staggering. The RPM model is suggesting more than four inches of rain inland, especially in Easton and Redding.


Consider, the normal rainfall for the entire month of June is 3.57" and the wettest June on record happened in 1972 when nearly a foot-and-a-half (17.7") fell across the region. Nearly an inch (0.85") of rain has been recorded at Sikorsky Memorial Airport in Stratford thus far this month, which is slightly below the 0.88" normal through yesterday. Most of the rain (0.79") fell on June 3rd.

The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch through tomorrow afternoon. A Coastal Flood Advisory will be in effect from 8 p.m. until 1 o'clock tomorrow morning due to heavy rain, a persistent East wind, and a New Moon. Residents living along the immediate shoreline should be prepared for minor flooding during the time of high tide, which is close to midnight. Tides will run one-to-two feet above normal.

Here are the times of high tide:
Stamford: 11:32 p.m.
Bridgeport: 11:29 p.m.
New Haven: 11:28 p.m.


Fortunately, the storm system will rapidly accelerate and move away to the North and East early tomorrow. Skies should even brighten later tomorrow morning, and temperatures will recover into the 70s. Although there is a chance of a shower or two during the day, the worst of the storm will be well behind us. Sunday looks nice under partly to mostly sunny skies and a high temperature in the mid-to-upper 70s.

Good luck with Andrea.

Paul