It is going to rain. You can take it to the bank!

There is no doubt, whatsoever, that the remains of Hurricane Michael will give us lots of rainfall on Thursday, and especially Thursday night.

The hurricane, which came ashore in Florida with winds over 150 mph, will diminish in intensity to a tropical storm.  Feel blessed that the system has weakened since coming ashore.  Residents of Delmarva will experience torrential rainfall overnight on Thursday, with rainfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour.  On top of that, winds will increase in intensity, bringing tropical storm force gusts to our area…especially to our south and east.

Luckily, for us, the storm is moving very quickly, thanks to an approaching cold front from the west.  The period of heavy rain may only last for 6 to 12 hours and the sun will probably shine with the passing of the storm on Friday.

Weather models are suggesting that parts of Delmarva will receive anywhere from 2 to 8 or more inches of rain.  If your backyard ends up with less than 2 inches of rain you should consider yourself fortunate.  Even if you get 4 to 6 inches of rain you should feel lucky.

As far as the winds are concerned, the most intense breezes should occur into the morning hours of Friday.  Even after the storm passes the intensity of the wind can create hazardous driving conditions and can intensify the degree of flooding that takes place in certain areas.

The best advice is to suck it up and stay inside.  What’s to lose?