Northeast Prepares for More Wet Weather Systems Next Week

The unsettled weekend is marching on in the Northeast. While it has not been a total washout for the region, frequent rain showers and stormy conditions have disrupted outdoor plans for millions. This pattern is set to continue on Sunday and into next week with the potential of another tropical weather maker adding to the disruptions in the days ahead.

Northeast Remains Under the Gun for Slowly Moving Storm System

A slowly moving storm system has been responsible for a number of travel delays and other life disruptions across the Northeast this weekend. The forecast for the rest of the weekend indicates that the rain and thunderstorms will linger throughout the central Appalachians, the mid-Atlantic, and up into New England through Sunday and beyond.

The rain will be enough to raise the risk of flash flooding in some urban areas and along some of the smaller streams of the impacted area. Widespread rainfall totals of up to 1.50 inches are likely for a large area of the Northeast through Sunday. Some pockets will see rainfall of up to 3 inches.

The hot and humid air circulating over the Northeast will clash with the incoming moisture to ignite severe thunderstorms at times. This was the case on Saturday when the zone of stormy conditions stretched along the East Coast from Maine and down into Carolinas.

Motorists should expect to see delays on the roadways as heavy rain creates ponding and reduced visibility. Because the rain will not be consistent, you may have luck in timing your travels around the hourly forecast.

New System Moving in Early in the Week

The weekend storm system is forecast to dissipate and move off into the Atlantic Ocean on Monday. However, that does not mean that the region is going to dry out any time soon.

Another potent weather maker is forecast to move in from the Midwest beginning Tuesday. This system will likely linger across the Northeast until Thursday. Once again, residents will need to be aware of the chance of torrential downpours that create flash flooding concerns.

This system coming in from the Midwest could also merge with the tropical weather that is currently impacting Florida. While the forecast models are not entirely certain where the tropical weather will head after hammering Florida, there is a chance that it could move up the East Coast next week.

For instance, forecasters are warning that the tropical weather could make a turn to the north and churn parallel to the Atlantic coastline. Should this happen, heavy bands of rain would set up over the coastal region of the eastern U.S., triggering a good shot of widespread flooding.

Some of the models show the possibility of what is left of the tropical weather event exiting out into the Atlantic after it moves across the Florida peninsula and intensifying further. The warm waters of this part of the Atlantic could support a reorganization and intensification of the system. There is also the chance that the system could turn back into a tropical storm or hurricane with possible impacts from the Carolinas and up through the southeastern corner of New England.

Regardless of the intensity and track, rough surf conditions and strong rip currents are likely for the zone from the Carolinas and up into Massachusetts next week. Forecasters believe that the system could stall out as it churns off the coastline of the Carolinas. This would result in lesser degree of moisture for the Northeast, however, the Carolinas and parts of southern Virginia may see rainfall measured in feet should this occur.

The bottom line is that there is still a lot of uncertainty associated with this potential tropical weather development, meaning that residents along the East Coast should stay on top of the developing forecast as the behavior of the tropical weather system becomes more clear. It is also important to pay heed to any hazard warnings on the beaches in the region.

Forecast for Specific Metro Areas

What does this forecast mean for some of the largest metro areas in the Northeast? New York City will enjoy dry conditions early Sunday with the storms expected to fire up again in the latter part of the day. Sunday's highs will hit about 85 degrees in the Big Apple with lows predicted to slip into the mid 70s.

Monday is shaping up to be a nice but hot day for New York City with mostly sunny skies and a high of 92 degrees. However, the previously mentioned weather systems are going to be ready to strike on Tuesday, delivering rain showers and the chance of severe weather. The arrival of these storm systems will also bring down the mercury with highs expected to top out in the low 80s on Tuesday before landing in the 70s for the balance of the week.

Boston will wake up to cloudy skies on Sunday with the risk of storms increasing by the afternoon hours. Highs will reach the mid 80s with lows dropping to about the 70-degree mark after the sun goes down. The metro area will enjoy sunny skies early to start the new work week. Monday's highs will reach the low 90s under this sunshine, pairing with winds out of the west-southwest at 10 to 20 mph.

The calm conditions will not last long in Boston. More rain and the potential of thunderstorms are back in the forecast for Monday evening along with a low of about 69 degrees. The rain will pick back up again late Tuesday with about a half of an inch of accumulation in the forecast. The wet and dreary weather pattern will continue for the rest of the week. This cloud cover will keep the mercury suppressed in the low 70s for highs.