Tropical Storm Fay Drenches the Mid-Atlantic, Northeast (RECAP)

Heavy Rain Impacts the Southeast

The origins of what eventually became Fay could be traced to spin in the upper levels of the atmosphere generated by thunderstorm activity over the lower Mississippi Valley before the Fourth of July holiday weekend, according to The Weather Channel hurricane and storm analyst Greg Postel.

While the system was spinning over the Southeast, Tuesday, up to 7 inches of rain triggered flash flooding in parts of the Savannah River valley of eastern Georgia and western South Carolina.

Secondary roads were washed out in Lincoln County, Georgia, northwest of Augusta.

Tuesday was the wettest July day on record in Augusta, Georgia, a record that had stood since 1887.

In South Carolina, floodwater entered at least three homes in Edgefield County, according to local emergency management. At least one road was washed out and a section of Interstate 20 was flooded at Interstate 520 on the northeast side of the Augusta, Georgia, metro area.

One observer on Hunting Island State Park, South Carolina, reported 12.75 inches of rain, primarily on July 7, which inundated roads and prompted the park to close, according to the National Weather Service.

Fay's Formation and Eastern Inland Impacts

Eventually, Fay's circulation moved off the coast of the Carolinas, and was able to consolidate enough thunderstorms near its center to be considered a tropical storm on Jul. 9.

Tropical Storm Fay was the earliest sixth tropical storm to form in a season, beating the old record previously set on July 22nd, 2005, with the formation of Tropical Storm Franklin.

(MORE: The 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Season Isn't Off to as Busy a Start as It Seems)

While a sixth tropical storm before mid-July is unheard of, previous hurricane seasons have been considerably more impactful.

While a July tropical depression or storm formation off the mid-Atlantic coast has happened, they typically form further east over the warmer Gulf Stream current. North of the Virginia border, water temperatures typically cool off quickly.

Fay steadily intensified as it moved northward from the Gulf Stream current toward the Jersey Coast.

In Ocean City, Maryland, up to 5.5 inches of rain flooded numerous roads in the city early on July 10th.

In Delaware, some flooding of roads and residential areas was reported near Long Neck, according to the National Weather Service. Flash flooding was also reported in Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island.

In New Jersey, flooding prompted the shutdown of the George Redding Bridge in Wildwood, New Jersey, Friday morning. Flooding was also seen in Avalon, Sea Isle City and Stone Harbor.

A section of I-76 was flooded near I-676 in Philadelphia. Other lane and road restrictions were in place during the afternoon.

Fay's weak center made landfall just north of Atlantic City and Brigantine, New Jersey at around 4:45 p.m. EDT. Scattered gusty showers were pushing through southern New York, southern Connecticut, much of New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania at the time of landfall.

Brigantine is the same landfall location of hurricanes Sandy and Irene.

Isolated urban flooding closed a few streets in New York City.

Sustained tropical storm force winds were reported in Lewes, Delaware, where gusts to 53 mph have also been recorded. A wind gust of 45 mph was recently recorded at New York City's JFK Airport.

Prior to Fay, only three other July or earlier named storms had tracked within 75 miles of New York City since 1950. The former Hurricane Bertha in 1996 was the last to do so in July.

Fay largely fizzled as it moved northward through the Hudson and Champlain valleys, but brought scattered rain showers to much of New England and eastern New York before moving into southern Canada on July 11th.

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