Flooding from Cape Hatteras to Montreal

Flooding from Cape Hatteras to Montreal, and everywhere in between. What started off as tropical storm Nicole, became a much bigger weather story yesterday as heavy rain and strong winds pelted the east coast from the Carolina's to Atlantic Canada. The rain was pumped northward from the tropics along a frontal boundary at an intense rate with nearly 90mm falling is some portions of southern Quebec. As of 7am this morning I measured 92mm on Ile Perrot southwest of Montreal. Not far to the north of my location St Anne-de-bellevue had 75mm as of 10pm last night. The airport in Montreal recorded about 65mm. Radar is showing the rain sliding to the east now with the heaviest bands over upstate New York and into Vermont and the Eastern Townships. The storm had far reaching effects with flooding in Washington, across New Jersey and New England. But it was North Carolina that was hardest hit. The heavy rain claimed at least 5 lives and pounded the region for a weekly total in excess of 20 inches in Wilmington. In addition to the rain, heavy surf flooded coastal roads and strong winds in excess of 60mph downed trees and power lines. Isolated tornadoes were reported as well even into New York where several storms last night in the Champlain Valley showed signs of rotation.

Flooding is also being reported locally with Montreal firefighters responding to at least 20 calls for flooded basements. As usual several area highways had enough water accumulation to force closures including the Dorval circle. South of Montreal officials are watching several rivers across Vaudreuil and Huntigdon south into upstate New York.