Severe weather, flooding threat to hit US Northeast

More than 38 million people across the US Northeast, from New York City to Washington, D.C., are facing a threat of severe weather, including flash flooding, damaging winds, large hail and possible tornadoes.

The severe weather threat extends across a broad area from Syracuse, New York, and Vermont southward to Virginia, Caliber.Az reports, citing ABC News.

Along the Interstate 95 corridor between New York City and Washington, D.C., powerful thunderstorms could produce rainfall rates of more than 2 inches per hour, with some areas receiving up to 5 inches of rain.

The storms are expected to begin around 1 p.m. Thursday, with scattered showers and thunderstorms continuing throughout the afternoon and evening.

New York City is likely to see the most severe conditions between 1 p.m. and 5 p.m., while storms are expected to reach Philadelphia and Washington between 5 p.m. and 8 p.m.

A flood watch will be in effect from noon through the evening for New York City, the Hudson Valley, much of New Jersey and Philadelphia.

By Bakhtiyar Abbasov