New York, NY – Days of soaking rain across much of the eastern United States delivered much-needed moisture to some regions while worsening flooding concerns in others, according to the National Weather Service.
The National Weather Service Eastern Region Headquarters released updated rainfall totals Tuesday evening showing widespread precipitation accumulations from May 22 through May 26 across the East Coast, Appalachians, and Ohio Valley.
According to the report, Asheville, North Carolina recorded the highest rainfall total among selected locations with 6.42 inches of rain. Dayton, Ohio followed with 3.98 inches, while Columbus, Ohio received 3.13 inches during the same period.
Other notable rainfall totals included Augusta, Georgia at 3.12 inches, Wheeling, West Virginia at 2.85 inches, and Dulles, Virginia at 2.60 inches. Pittsburgh, Baltimore, Huntington, Parkersburg, and Hagerstown also recorded more than 2 inches of rainfall.
Forecasters said the persistent southwest flow pattern over the Memorial Day weekend helped funnel deep moisture into the eastern U.S., producing repeated rounds of showers and thunderstorms.
While some drought-prone areas benefited from the rainfall, portions of the Ohio Valley and central Appalachians experienced saturated ground conditions and elevated flooding concerns after receiving repeated heavy downpours over several days.
Meteorologists noted that additional unsettled weather remains possible in some areas this week, though cooler and drier conditions are expected to gradually return to parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast heading into the weekend.
