NEW YORK – If the weather forecast for the upcoming weekend in the Northeast seems repetitive, it’s because this will be the sixth out of seven weekends with expected rain and thunderstorms across the area.
Thanks to a sluggish weather front, most of Saturday could see relatively dry conditions along the I-95 corridor. However, the storm might push toward the coast later in the evening, bringing rain and thunderstorms to the northeastern and mid-Atlantic regions by Saturday afternoon.
These storms could unleash damaging winds and large hail. The NOAA Storm Prediction Center indicates that on Saturday, the severe weather risk could elevate to a level five warning, given the conditions in play. According to the Fox Forecast Center, it’s unlikely that this risk will decrease.
“We have a chance for thunderstorms on Saturday,” said Melissa Torres, a meteorologist at Fox. “This risk stretches from Boston all the way down to northern Florida.”
This includes areas like Philadelphia, Boston, and Washington DC.
“It’s going to be really intense for our city of brotherhood,” shared Britta Melwin, another meteorologist at Fox. “Anyone with outdoor plans Saturday night should think twice.”
The Fox Forecast Center is fairly confident that rain will hit on Saturday, but specific details remain quite uncertain.
Next week’s troublesome “cut-off flow” is on the way
As we move into Sunday, things get trickier. Confidence is growing regarding the low-pressure systems that will break away from the main Jetstream flow and hang around the Ohio Valley for several days.
This kind of setup can lead to prolonged rain events. The counterclockwise movement around the low pressure can block easterly flows while high-pressure systems create clockwise patterns. This results in a consistent funnel of moisture coming up from the south, which could linger for several days.
It’s still a bit early to pinpoint exactly where the heaviest rainfall will land, but many areas from the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast could see 3 to 5 inches by the end of the storm.
It’s not going to rain every day, but there’s a good chance of downpours from Sunday through Tuesday as this persistent low pressure system takes its time to move out after Wednesday.
While the Fox Forecast Center notes that the rain is initially helpful due to ongoing drought conditions, it could lead to more significant rainfall from Sunday evening through Tuesday.
NOAA’s Weather Forecast Center has issued a multi-day flood alert from Saturday to Monday, affecting areas including Charleston, West Virginia; Washington, DC; New York City; and Hartford, Connecticut.
