A warmer atmosphere can hold more moisture, making storms capable of unleashing huge amounts of rain over land. Studies have shown that for every degree Fahrenheit that the planet heats up, the atmosphere can hold around 3% to 4% more moisture. As a result, flooding risks across the country are expected to increase in the coming years.

Storms are lashing the East Coast from Virginia to Connecticut, flooding roadways and delaying flights from Boston to Washington, D.C.

Some areas have already seen 1 to 3 inches of rain, and forecasters say an additional 2 to 4 inches is possible.