Wet Wednesday: Flooding rain swamps Northeast

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A slow-moving low-pressure area has peppered the midwest, mid-Atlantic, northeast and New England with heavy rainfall causing massive flooding.

Torrential overnight rain brought floods to portions of the Northeast and New England Wednesday, a day after heavy rain swamped the Mid-Atlantic and two days after Detroit saw historic floods.

Wednesday morning, floods stranded drivers in Long Island, where more than a foot of rain fell overnight. Central and eastern Long Island roads that were still open had bumper-to-bumper traffic Wednesday morning.

Islip, N.Y., picked up 13.26 inches of rain overnight, which is more than the city typically gets in an entire summer.

If verified, that amount would break the all-time New York State record for rainiest day in the state's history, the National Weather Service said.

The heavy rain also spread into southern Connecticut, where cars were submerged off I-95 near Branford, the Weather Channel reported.

Flood warnings and watches were posted across most of New England.

On Monday in Detroit, a near-record 4.57 inches fell, the second-rainiest day in the city's history. Two people were killed in the flooding.

Tuesday, it was the Washington/Baltimore area that saw near-record rain and devastating floods, as Tuesday was the second-wettest day in Baltimore's history, with over six inches of rain reported.

That's more than Los Angeles has received the entire year.

The dismal weather is all courtesy of an unusually potent (for summer) low-pressure area that's been tracking along a very slow moving front, according to AccuWeather.

Unseasonably cool air will filter in behind the storm for the end of the week, AccuWeather meteorologist Jordan Root reports.

Contributing: Associated Press

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Rain causes flooding across U.S.

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Cars stuck in flood waters on Sunrise Highway at Carlton Avenue during torrential rainfall in Islip Terrace, N.Y. The National Weather Service reported that Islip received 13 inches of rain for the day, essentially doubling the all-time record for rainfall in a single day for the town. Ed Betz, Newsday via epa

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Judy Mercado begins to clean up her home after flash flood waters ripped through the Laveen area of Phoenix overnight. The National Weather Service says showers lingered into mid-morning and that south Phoenix got hit hard with 2-3 inches of rain. Matt York, AP

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Officials stand near a washed out road in Glen Burnie, Md. The storm brought rain levels that led to flooding in low-lying areas and necessitated several water rescues around the state. Patrick Semansky, AP

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A woman watches the rising flood waters on Moffit Blvd. in Islip, New York on Aug. 13. The south shore of Long Island along with the tri-state region saw record setting rain that caused roads to flood trapping some motorists. Andrew Theodorakis, Getty Images

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A car remains submerged in floodwaters on Sunrise Highway at Route 111 in Islip, New York following earlier torrential rains. Andrew Theodorakis, Getty Images

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A truck drives through flooded Sunrise Highway at Route 111 in the wake of heavy rains and flash flooding in Islip, New York. Andrew Theodorakis, Getty Images

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A man walks through flood waters on Brooke Ave in Bayshore, New York, on Aug. 13, a result of torrential rains. Andrew Theodorakis, Getty Images

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A man surveys flood water outside Lucy & Marcos Deli in Bayshore, New York. The south shore of Long Island along with the tri-state region saw record setting rain that caused roads to flood trapping some motorists. Andrew Theodorakis, Getty Images

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Abandoned cars remain on flooded Brooke Ave. following heavy rains and flash flooding in Bayshore, New York. Andrew Theodorakis, Getty Images

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Bayshore Fire Fighters walk along Brooke Ave following heavy rains and flash flooding. Andrew Theodorakis, Getty Images

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Abandoned vehicles sit submerged on a flooded section of the Northern State Parkway in Jericho, N.Y., on Aug. 13. Howard Schnapp, Newsday,

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A partially submerged car sits on a flooded section of Interstate 695 in Baltimore on Aug. 12, following heavy rainfalls across the Mid-Atlantic region. Patrick Semansky, AP

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A safety official watches water pour from roadways above into a flooded underpass in Baltimore on Aug. 12. Patrick Semansky, AP

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Several stranded cars are caught in rushing floodwaters in Laveen, Ariz. Ross D. Franklin, AP

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A stranded motorist is rescued by a firefighter as heavy rains caused flash flooding in Laveen, Ariz. Authorities said at least six people were rescued from vehicles in Phoenix. Ross D. Franklin, AP

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Kristina Washington Brown walks home with two of her children, Ashley and Matthew, along a rain flooded street in Laveen, Ariz. Ross D. Franklin AP

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Firefighters arrive to rescue stranded motorists as heavy rains caused flash flooding in Laveen, Ariz. Ross D. Franklin, AP

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Interstate 696 remains flooded Aug. 12, a day after several inches of rain fell in the Detroit area. Michigan State Police via AP

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A Michigan State Police diver, from the Underwater Recovery Unit, inspects a vehicle submerged on a Detroit area freeway a day after heavy rain. Michigan State Police via AP

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Vehicles sit submerged in water along I-75 in Royal Oak, Mich., on Aug. 12. Heavy rain the day before flooded caused flooding across the Detroit metropolitan area. Joshua Lott, Getty Images

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Larry Young, 58, of Highland Park tries to clear out a storm drain in front of his residence on McNichols Street in Highland Park, Mich. Kimberly P. Mitchell, Detroit Free Press

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Crews clean up mud on I-75 at I-696 after heavy rains on Aug. 11, the second-heaviest single day rainfall in Michigan history, with 4.57 inches recorded at Detroit Metro Airport. Romain Blanquart, Detroit Free Press

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A man retrieves items from his wife's car that was submerged on southbound I-75 at Woodward Heights Boulevard in Hazel Park after heavy rains flooded many roadways throughout teh Detroit metropolitan area. Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press

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Michigan State Police officers check a flooded underpass along I-75 and I-696 for vehicles and victims in Hazel Park, Mich. Joshua Lott, Getty Images

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A driver chances floodwaters that consume Oakwood Boulevard at I-94 in Melvindale, Mich. Mandi Wright, Detroit Free Press

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Debbie Segler cleans up her basement in Hazel Park, Mich, after a couple feet of water ended up in her basement from heavy rains on Aug. 11. Romain Blanquart, Detroit Free Press

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Michigan State Police use a boat at the I-75 and I-696 interchange in Hazel Park, Mich., after heavy rains flooded many roadways throughout the metropolitan Detroit area. Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press

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Joe Snyder of Warren, Mich., walks through the flooded streets of Detroit. David Guralnick, AP

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Joe Perry cleans a drain at Jean and Martin streets in Warren, Mich.in the wake of the previous night's intense rains in and around Detroit. Warren Mayor James Fouts said roughly 1,000 vehicles had been abandoned in floodwaters in the suburb. Many roads were closed after 5.2 inches of rain fell Aug. 11. David Coates, AP

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A police diver checks a flooded vehicle for any occupants along a flooded stretch of I-696 at the Warren, Mich., city limits. David Coates, AP

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Kevin Cockrell removes a basement carpet destroyed by floodwater at his home in Warren, Mich. David Coates, AP

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Cars are stranded along a flooded stretch of I-696 at the Warren, Mich., city limits. Police divers were searching for anyone trapped in their vehicles. David Coates, AP

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Terri Quick of Center Line carries items to the trash from her house on McKinley that were damaged by floodwaters. "Within three hours it was up to almost my thigh. We've never never seen it like this," said Quick, who has owned her house for 16 years. Ryan Garza, Detroit Free Press

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