“Changes in the upper atmosphere winds are the probable cause of this system. The jet stream shifts, and changes in weather patterns follow,” said Brian Edwards, a meteorologist with AccuWeather.com.
The Southeast United States will probably be hit the hardest. Conditions are expected to suddenly shift from drought to possible flooding. On Sunday the Southeast began receiving bursts of rain, after a period of drought.
Troptober will probably consist of one or more tropical storms, which could develop into hurricanes. States from Florida to Maine are expected to experience heavy storms while inland areas such as Tennessee could experience torrential rain.
One tropical storm can dump several inches of rainwater and virtually eliminate a drought. However, consistent downpours can add up faster than the soil can absorb it, leaving a foot or more in some areas. Cities including Atlanta, Boston, New York, and Richmond could get enough rain to cause problems such as flooding or travel delays.
“We are concerned that it could be much worse than just canceled flights and ball games,” said Alex Sosnowski, senior expert Meteorologist with AccuWeather.com in a statement. Life threatening flooding could occur.
Hurricane season lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30. There have been many named storms, but none have hit the U.S. mainland with much force so far. Lisa and Matthew were active storms in the Atlantic as of Sunday.
“No tropical storm system has really landed [in the United States] this season. So, areas that saw little rain will be taking a dramatic switch,” said Brian Edwards of AccuWeather.com.
