Up to eight inches of rain have fallen in the midstate

(State College) — Flood-prone roads across the region have been closed since this morning, and several school districts dismissed early this afternoon due to the heavy rain that’s been soaking the midstate for the better part of two days.

High pressure cells to the north and east have boxed in the rain, which has been stationed directly over the midstate.

Aaron Tyburski, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service in State College, says the system is associated with what’s left of Tropical Storm Karen.

“The plume of moisture associated with the old tropical storm pretty much aligned itself from southeast to northwest, right up the Chesapeake Bay and into south central Pennsylvania,” he says.

Tyburski says rainfall totals across the midstate already range from five to eight inches.

“The highest amounts tend to be, right now, in York and Lancaster counties where we’ve had spot reports over seven inches,” he explains.

The National Weather Service has issued flood warnings for urban areas and smaller streams across the region. But Tyburski says there should be enough room in the Susquehanna River to handle it all.

He says the main plume of moisture is already shifting toward Maryland, and is expected to move off to the east tomorrow.