Heavy rain, gusty winds to arrive in Cortland County

Flooding on Route 215 in Virgil, July 14, 2017 (Peter Blanchard/Cortland Voice)

CORTLAND, N.Y. - Forecasters are monitoring a strong storm system that will bring heavy rain and strong winds to parts of the East Coast beginning Sunday afternoon.

In Cortland County, a flash flood watch will take effect at 4 p.m. Sunday and last through 12 p.m. Monday. Flood watches will be in effect for 19 counties in central New York and eight different counties in northeastern Pennsylvania.

Rain will start to develop Saturday evening and continue into Sunday morning, according to the National Weather Service. Widespread rainfall totals of 2 to 4 inches are expected, but higher amounts are possible.

The primary period of concern will be Sunday afternoon through Sunday night, as additional heavy rainfall occurs on top of soils that will soaked from earlier rains. Flash flooding and wind gusts as high as 50 mph are possible.

A flash flood watch means that conditions may develop that lead to flash flooding. Our readers should monitor later forecasts and be prepared to take action should the flood watch be upgraded to a flood warning.