Flash Flooding and Flood in Connecticut, January 3, 1999

With cold air in place along the surface, as a strong low pressure system moved northeast across the Great Lakes, a second low formed over the Mid-Atlantic States and moved northeast across Long Island during Sunday afternoon, January 3rd.A light intermittent mix of sleet and freezing rain began around 3 am on Sunday. As an icy coating developed on road surfaces below freezing, some significant traffic accidents occurred across the region through Sunday morning.However, as southeast winds increased, gusting to around 45 mph, surface temperatures quickly rose above freezing from the immediate coast north and west during Sunday morning. An intense narrow band of torrential rain developed within a large area of steady rain. Rain fell on a frozen ground surface at rates as high as 3 inches per hour. This resulted in rapid runoff that caused serious widespread flooding of low-lying and poor drainage areas.In New London County, water accumulated to around 2 feet on streets in Norwich and at the intersection of New London Turnpike and Fitch Hill Road. In Griswold, a road was washed out and stranded residents of the McClough Manor Old Age Home.Here are selected rainfall amounts across the region:o In Fairfield County, from 2.26 inches at Danbury to 2.83 inches in Bridgeport.o In New Haven County, from 1.99 inches at New Haven to 4.30 inches at Ansonia. A spotter measured 4.20 inches in 3 hours at Ansonia. The maximum rainfall rate at the Beecher Road School Weather Station in Woodbridge was 2.48 inches per hour.o In New London County, from 1.56 inches at Groton to 2.53 inches at Jewett City.In addition, minor tidal flooding occurred along the coast from Milford east to Waterford during the late morning and afternoon high tides.