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May 14, 2025 - Heavy Rain Soaks the East Coast of the United States
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An expansive storm system dropped torrential rainfall over parts of the U.S. Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions in mid-May 2025, soaking several states, kicking up tornadoes, and triggering devastating flash floods.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of the sprawling system on May 12. A widespread area of spotty cloud marks an area of low pressure sitting over the Southeast. Circulation around the low pressure area draws in a very thick plume of clouds which arcs over the Mid-Atlantic region. This plume of deep moisture is known as an “atmospheric river” and funnels water from the Atlantic Ocean inland. At the time the image was captured, clouds covered 22 states, stretching from Florida to Michigan and from Arkansas to the East Coast.
On May 12, the storm dumped as much as a foot of rain in some parts of the Southeast along with severe winds, according to news reports. The National Weather Service confirmed that three tornadoes whipped through Edgecombe County, North Carolina between May 11-12. All three were categorized at EF1, with wind speeds between 75 and 110 miles per hour. The tornadoes damaged at least two buildings and dropped several trees.
By the next day, extreme rain triggered a flash flood emergency in western Maryland, especially in Allegany and Garret Counties. The town of Westernport was particularly hard hit, with images on social media and news stations showing cars floating in water that appeared to approach first-floor windows. Homes and businesses were inundated and emergency responders evacuated students from the town’s elementary school as waters began to rise. The Weather Channel reported that one gauge on George’s Creek, which cuts through the town, rose more than seven feet in just six hours, bringing the river height to match the highest previously recorded. Flooding was also reported in nearby areas in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 5/12/2025
Resolutions:
1km (1.4 MB), 500m (4.6 MB), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
An expansive storm system dropped torrential rainfall over parts of the U.S. Southeast and Mid-Atlantic regions in mid-May 2025, soaking several states, kicking up tornadoes, and triggering devastating flash floods.
The Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Aqua satellite acquired this true-color image of the sprawling system on May 12. A widespread area of spotty cloud marks an area of low pressure sitting over the Southeast. Circulation around the low pressure area draws in a very thick plume of clouds which arcs over the Mid-Atlantic region. This plume of deep moisture is known as an “atmospheric river” and funnels water from the Atlantic Ocean inland. At the time the image was captured, clouds covered 22 states, stretching from Florida to Michigan and from Arkansas to the East Coast.
On May 12, the storm dumped as much as a foot of rain in some parts of the Southeast along with severe winds, according to news reports. The National Weather Service confirmed that three tornadoes whipped through Edgecombe County, North Carolina between May 11-12. All three were categorized at EF1, with wind speeds between 75 and 110 miles per hour. The tornadoes damaged at least two buildings and dropped several trees.
By the next day, extreme rain triggered a flash flood emergency in western Maryland, especially in Allegany and Garret Counties. The town of Westernport was particularly hard hit, with images on social media and news stations showing cars floating in water that appeared to approach first-floor windows. Homes and businesses were inundated and emergency responders evacuated students from the town’s elementary school as waters began to rise. The Weather Channel reported that one gauge on George’s Creek, which cuts through the town, rose more than seven feet in just six hours, bringing the river height to match the highest previously recorded. Flooding was also reported in nearby areas in Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
Image Facts
Satellite:
Aqua
Date Acquired: 5/12/2025
Resolutions:
1km (1.4 MB), 500m (4.6 MB), 250m ( B)
Bands Used: 1,4,3
Image Credit:
MODIS Land Rapid Response Team, NASA GSFC
