Storms batter Mid-Atlantic, sparking several tornadoes and widespread flash flooding

CNN

By CNN meteorologists Chris Dolce and Dakota Smith

(CNN) — A line of drenching storms swept across the Mid-Atlantic and parts of the Northeast late Thursday, spinning up destructive tornadoes and inundating several areas with significant flooding, including parts of New York City.

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Storms dumped 1.5 to 2.5 inches of rain in about three hours across northern New Jersey and southern New York. Damage was reported more broadly across the Mid-Atlantic region, including parts of Pennsylvania and Delaware.

A man died after being struck by lightning on a beach in Cape Charles, Virginia, CNN affiliate WVEC reported, citing the town manager. A woman with the man was also struck but suffered only minor injuries, according to WVEC. CNN has reached out to officials for more details.

At least two tornadoes were observed across the Mid-Atlantic, with more likely to be confirmed after the National Weather Service completes damage surveys.

“Significant damage” including flooding and downed trees were reported throughout Dover, Delaware, after a “likely” tornado hit the city, according to the Dover Police Department. Emergencies crews were actively responding, and the city declared a state of emergency Thursday evening, the police said.

Two hotels sustained “heavy damage,” Dover Police Department spokesperson Mark Hoffman told CNN. Video shows a tornado ripping the roof off a Super Lodge motel. All guests were evacuated and placed in a temporary shelter, Hoffman said.

A tornado was also spotted in Columbia, Pennsylvania, as severe storms marched through southeast parts of the state. A state of emergency has been declared for Columbia Borough, police said Thursday night.

Nearby, in York County, Pennsylvania, a high school and six townhomes were damaged by the storm and one person had a minor injury, according to the York County Office of Emergency Management.

In Summit, New Jersey, fire crews responded to a blaze at a multi-unit home after an apparent lightning strike hit the chimney and caused a fire in the attic, CNN affiliate WABC reported. No one was injured.

Fire Chief Brian Harnois said crews were already responding to storm-related emergencies when the call came in, WABC said.

In Long Island, New York, a waterspout came ashore in Nassau County, Thursday evening, ripping through the Sun and Surf Beach Club on Atlantic Beach and significantly damaging cabanas and buildings, the club said.

A state of emergency was declared in Nassau County and emergency responders were assisting people trapped in their vehicles due to flooding in the south shore, County Executive Bruce Blakeman said on Facebook.

New York City, parts of New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania, including Philadelphia, were under a Level 3 of 4 flooding rainfall risk Thursday. More than 29 million people were under flood watches along the Interstate 95 corridor in the Northeast, stretching as far north as southwest Connecticut to as far south as northern Delaware.

Heavy bursts of rainfall like this are notorious for causing flash floods, especially in urban locations in the East. New York City’s aging sewer infrastructure can only handle around 1.75 inches of rain per hour before it’s overwhelmed and flash flooding can occur.

Flooding closed portions of several major roadways across the city, including the Brooklyn Queens Expressway and the Long Island Expressway in Queens. City authorities also warned commuters of delays on “MTA trains across NYC.”

The storms also disrupted air travel across the New York City region. The Federal Aviation Administration on Thursday issued ground delays for flights arriving at JFK, LaGuardia and Newark airports, according to NYC Emergency Management.

More than 26,000 customers in New Jersey and over 13,000 in Pennsylvania were without power as of Thursday evening, according to poweroutage.us.

The storms were generated by a cold front that already caused flash flooding in central Ohio early Thursday morning. Multiple water rescues and road closures were reported near Columbus, Ohio, according to CNN affiliate WBNS.

Extreme rainfall rates are becoming more common as planet-warming pollution pushes temperatures higher because warmer air holds more moisture. Weather systems can then wring that moisture out like a water-laden sponge, yielding heavy and often highly localized downpours.

This story has been updated with additional information.

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CNN’s Isa Mudannayake, Caroll Alvarado, Dave Alsup, Amanda Jackson and Karina Tsui contributed to this report.