Ida puts state on flood watch

As remnants near, 2-4 inches of rain possible in spots

As what is left of Hurricane Ida approaches, a flash flood watch is in effect for parts of Connecticut beginning Wednesday afternoon. Parts of the state may get 2-4 inches of rain.

The National Weather Service said that the “remnants of Ida will approach and track near southern New England, with heavy rain and flooding possible late Wednesday into Thursday.”

There a chance that 2-4 inches of rain — with higher amounts possible in spots — will fall in parts of northern Connecticut, specifically in Hartford, Tolland and Windham counties.

“There remains some uncertainty on the axis of heaviest rain fall,” the NWS said. “A shift of 50 to 100 miles in the forecast track of the remnants of Ida, will impact the exact location of heaviest rain fall.”

The rain is expected to hit Hartford about 11 a.m. Wednesday with expected showers around half an inch. Heavier rainfall is expected to hit during the night with “precipitation amounts in excess of 4 inches possible,” and temperatures in the low 60s and light winds, the NWS reported.

The rain will likely

continue into Thursday with up to an inch in the Hartford area.

The showers come just over a week after Hurricane Henri, which downgraded to a tropical storm, touched down in New England last Sunday before weakening and sweeping over Connecticut through Monday.

Central Connecticut saw heavy flooding, including on I-91 in Hartford, which resulted in several accidents last Sunday. At Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, about half of the day’s arriving and departing flights were canceled. Amtrak suspended service in Connecticut and Metro-north ran no New Haven Line services.

Many Hartford area towns received well over 4 inches of rain last Sunday and Monday, inundating rivers, soaking ball fields and closing some roads.

The expected rain will contribute to Connecticut’s summer becoming one of the wettest yet, Gary Lessor, chief meteorologist at Western Connecticut State University, said last week.

“This year we had more rain. This year we’ve had the second wettest combination of July and August on record,” he said. “We had the third hottest July on record, so far we’re fourth for August.”