Pennsylvania May Be In Path Of Tropical Storm Joaquin

By TOM DAVIS and JUSTIN HEINZE

A tropical storm that could whip up trouble along the East Coast has now placed Pennsylvania in its potential path.

The National Hurricane Center says Tropical Storm Joaquin has officially formed, and could pack winds as high as 65 mph as its expected to move toward Pennsylvania by Saturday.

The National Weather Service has issued its first Hazardous Weather Outlook alert in weeks, saying moderate to heavy rainfall is expected to last into Wednesday.

After that, the storm is expected to track northward off the Mid-Atlantic coast. A strong onshore flow is expected to develop and is likely to cause tidal flooding and beach erosion, according to the NWS (see photos).

On Monday, Tropical Depression #11 strengthened into Tropical Storm Joaquin, and was located 400 miles northeast of the the central Bahamas, according to the National Weather Service.

By the time it were to arrive in Pennsylvania, the storm could develop into a system that more resembles a nor’easter, according to NWS meteorologists.

Even before the Joaquin were to arrive, enough rain is expected to fall on Tuesday night and Wednesday to cause localized flooding in areas of poor drainage, according to the NWS.

This “cool shot” will bring a noticeable drop in temperatures to the Upper Midwest and the Great Lakes on Tuesday and then the Ohio Valley, New England and mid-Atlantic on Wednesday, according to AccuWeather.

“Afternoon temperatures may only be in the 50s by Friday and this weekend [in parts of the Northeast], which will be a shock to residents given how warm it has been at times over the past couple of weeks,” stated AccuWeather Meteorologist Brian Thompson on its site.

Cities and states at risk of a soaking Tuesday and/or Tuesday night include Harrisburg and Philadelphia, Pa.; New York City and Albany, New York; New Jersey; Hartford, Connecticut; Providence, Rhode Island; Boston; and Portland, Maine, according to AccuWeather.