When Should the Midwest and Northeast Expect Meaningful Moisture?

After a dry start to the month of September for much of the Midwest and the Northeast, forecasters are warning that rain will once again become a regular issue for this part of the country. Here is a look at when you can expect moisture for the Midwest and the Northeast.

Change in the Weather Pattern Ahead for the Midwest and the Northeast

While some parts of the Midwest and the Northeast have seen sporadic rain showers in September, the bulk of these regions have missed out on widespread moisture. The upcoming weather pattern is indicating an uptick in showers, however, some areas will continue to dodge the significant rainfall.

Unfortunately for parts of the Midwest and the Northeast, the drought conditions have worsened over the last week due to the ongoing dry weather. The worst of the dryness is located over portions of West Virginia and Ohio, now under a designation of extreme to exceptional drought as defined by the U.S. Drought Monitor. The persistent drought will likely raise the threat of wildfire danger significantly once the dry leaves fall from the trees and take up residence on the ground.

Parts of the Northeast, including Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., saw a bit of rain this week thanks to the formation of a coastal storm. However, New York City missed out on this rain, meaning it will be likely next week before the Big Apple sees any precipitation.

This coastal storm is forecast to continue to drop meaningful moisture across the southeastern corner of New England through Saturday. This means that cities such as Providence and Newport, Rhode Island will see a messy start to the weekend. A large wedge of dry air building over the interior Northeast is predicted to serve as a buffer for the rain.

Boston will also pick up about a half of an inch of rain on Saturday alone as the storm churns offshore. Clouds will remain over the city on Sunday morning but some sunshine is possible by the latter part of the day. The forecast is calling for a high that maxes out at the 60-degree mark on Saturday before inching up into the mid 60s on Sunday.

Two Storms Taking Aim at Central and Eastern U.S.

Forecasters believe that the dry air will start to break up next week, ushering in a rainier pattern for the interior portions of the Northeast. The breaking down of this atmospheric roadblock will allow more storms to move in from the western and central portions of the country. Although the pattern will not be conducive to persistent rain, it should be enough to support the development of scattered rain showers at times next week.

In the near term, the same storm system that generated multiple rounds of severe weather this week in the Plains will continue to track into the Midwest into Saturday. The leftover moisture associated with this weather maker will likely make its way into the Great Lakes, the Ohio Valley, and possibly the central Appalachians by the end of the weekend. This relatively weak system will not have enough moisture coming along to create significant disruptions but it could produce some intermittent rain showers or a stray thunderstorm.

Another stronger storm is predicted to come down from the Rockies and across the Plains this weekend, generating a more widespread area of heavy rain. The result will be a greater chance of a steady rainfall for a large part of the Ohio Valley, the Great Lakes, and the Northeast into next weekend.

For instance, Buffalo is forecast to be in the crosshairs of rain showers or storms Monday through Thursday of next week. Highs will bounce around in the upper 60s and low 70s during this time for the city in the eastern portion of the Great Lakes region.

Looking at specific forecasts, the soaking rain will hit the upper Mississippi Valley and Ohio Valley states over the weekend. Enjoy the dry weather in places like Chicago on Saturday as Sunday is shaping up to be a wet day. The Windy City is forecast to wake up to scattered thunderstorms on Sunday with winds clocking in at 10 to 20 mph. After enjoying mostly sunny skies and a high in the upper 80s on Saturday, the mercury will top out in the mid 70s to close out the weekend. More rain is in the forecast for Chicago on Tuesday when the second system moves through.