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Heavy rain expected Wednesday as remnants of Ida move north

After devastating areas in Louisiana and Mississippi, the remnants of Hurricane Ida will sweep across the area Wednesday afternoon into Thursday, bringing heavy rain at times, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).

The storm made landfall in New Orleans Sunday as a Category 4 hurricane on the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. The storm, which knocked out power to all of New Orleans, rapidly weakened to a tropical depression Monday as it began its move toward the northeast.

The NWS issued a flash flood watch from 2 p.m. Wednesday afternoon through 2 p.m. Thursday for Suffolk County.

“Deep tropical moisture will interact with a nearly stationary frontal boundary across the Middle Atlantic and Northeast to produce heavy rainfall late Wednesday through Thursday morning,” the flash flood warning says.

About 3-to-4 inches of rain is forecast across much of the area, with the potential for higher amounts.

“This rainfall combined with wet antecedent conditions may lead to flash flooding,” the warning says.

Wind gusts around 24 mph are possible. Rain should taper off Thursday afternoon. After the rain pushes past the area Thursday, clear skies are expected with a high of 75 on Friday.

The storm will hit the northeast 10 days after Henri narrowly missed making landfall on Long Island. The Category 1 hurricane passed to the east of Montauk, ultimately making landfall in Rhode Island and weakening to a tropical storm. Henri spared Shelter Island from damaging winds and brought mostly heavy rain and minor flooding.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs until Nov. 30.