Rain Maker Moving Into the Northeast in Time for the Weekend

The dry and pleasant weather pattern was nice while it lasted. The weekend is going to bring another chance of rain for the Northeast along with cooler temperatures. Here is a look at what to expect from Mother Nature as you are planning your weekend outdoor activities.

Take Caution When Planning Outdoor Activities This Weekend

College football plans, early fall barbecues, and more could be in danger of being rained out this weekend across the Northeast. While the region will not see the flooding events experienced earlier in the summer, the threat of thunderstorms could result in football and baseball game delays. The rain will precede the next intrusion of fall-like temperatures across this corner of the U.S.

The good news is that the major coastal storm that had been bearing down on the region is starting to break apart, meaning that the weekend will not be a total washout. The rain that does fall will come in batches and will not linger for long. The tropical rainstorm that is currently unleashing across the Gulf Coast had originally been forecast to move to the north and up the Atlantic coastline. However, the latest models indicate that this potent weather maker will instead push offshore when it reaches the Carolinas, taking its impacts out into the open seas rather than into the mid-Atlantic and the Northeast.

The incoming weather will likely deliver widespread spotty rain showers with some areas picking up a steadier rainfall at times. Most of the moisture will fall on Saturday across the central Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic and on Sunday in areas farther north and into New England.

There is still a chance that the tropical rainstorm raging over the Gulf Coast and the Southeast will pick up steam as it moves just offshore, sending it closer to the coast and to the north. Should this happen, the Northeast will be in the bullseye for more persistent rainfall, coastal flooding, and breezy conditions.

In addition to the tropical rainstorm to the south, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) is also keeping a close eye on another feature that is spinning near Bermuda. This secondary tropical rainstorm could evolve into a tropical depression or a named tropical storm before making landfall in Atlantic Canada. While it is not expected to move onshore in the U.S., its close proximity will translate to rough seas in areas offshore. Assuming the feature takes on tropical characteristics, it would go by the name of Francine. Gordon is the next name up on the designated list after that.