'Bomb Cyclone' With Torrential Rain, Possible Tornadoes Headed To RI

RHODE ISLAND — A "budding bomb cyclone" will pass over Rhode Island mid-week, dumping torrential rain, as well as bringing powerful winds and the possibility of localized flooding to the area, forecasters said.

The storm is expected to move in late Tuesday into Wednesday. Widespread rain will drench the region and continue for most of Wednesday, the National Weather Service said.

"Those with travel plans on the ground or in the air can expect significant delays from Wednesday to early Thursday as a storm rockets northward," AccuWeather said in a Tuesday news release.

The heaviest rain will likely come Wednesday afternoon, when the chance of heavy precipitation is 100 percent. There could be thunderstorms along with the intense rain.

After Tuesday night rain, the storm will "quickly reorganize along the upper mid-Atlantic coast Wednesday. This new storm center will become the bomb cyclone, amplifying the rain from the Appalachians to the Atlantic beaches and the wind along the Atlantic coast as it moves northward through Wednesday night," AccuWeather forecasters said in the news release.

Between 2 and 4 inches of rain is expected to fall in Rhode Island during the event. "Locally severe" thunderstorms are possible Wednesday in the coastal Northeast with the possibility of a few tornadoes in part of the mid-Atlantic, AccuWeather said.

Forecasters also warned that winds will ramp up Wednesday afternoon into Thursday as the storm strengthens.

Residents should be aware there could be sporadic power outages, and damage to property and holiday decorations is also possible, forecasters warn.

Temperatures will be warm enough to prevent precipitation from turning into snow. After the storm ends on Wednesday night, a cold front will move in as the skies clear.

Here's the latest local forecast, according to the National Weather Service:

Tonight: Rain and possible thunderstorms at 5 a.m. Temperature rising to around 52 by 5 a.m. East wind, 8 to 15 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.

Wednesday: Rain and possibly a thunderstorm. Patchy fog. High near 61. Windy, with a south wind 13 to 18 mph, increasing to 24 to 29 mph in the afternoon. Winds could gust as high as 48 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New rainfall amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Wednesday Night: Rain and possibly a thunderstorm before 1 a.m., then a slight chance of rain between 1 and 3 a.m. Some of the storms could produce heavy rainfall. Patchy fog before midnight. Low around 34. Windy, with a south wind 28 to 33 mph becoming west 16 to 21 mph after midnight. Winds could gust as high as 60 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100 percent. New precipitation amounts between 1 and 2 inches possible.

Thursday: A slight chance of rain after 3 p.m. Sunny, with a high near 42. West wind 13 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 28 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20 percent.

Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 21. West wind 6 to 8 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph.

Friday: Sunny, with a high near 35. West wind around 7 mph.

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