East Coast in Store for Wet and Windy Close to the Weekend

Posted: December 10, 2023 9:11 am

Forecasters are fine-tuning their weather predictions for Sunday on the East Coast, painting a messy picture for travelers. In addition to torrential rain, strong winds will also make travel difficult up and down the Eastern Seaboard to close out the weekend. Read on for all of the details of this soggy and windy forecast.

Torrential Rain Moving Into the Northeast and Beyond

The storm that is currently bringing rain and severe weather to the south-central U.S. is going to track to the north and the east by Sunday. This weather maker is predicted to pick up steam as it heads in this direction, unleashing heavy rain and more severe impacts to those in its path. Localized flooding is a good possibility in the hardest-hit areas. Residents in the impact zone should also prepare for regional power outages and the chance of property damage.

Meteorologists are predicting that 1 – 2 inches of rain will fall in some areas in a period of less than 12 hours, triggering the risk of flooding. Some portions of the central and southern Appalachians and up through eastern Maine may see isolated pockets of 2 – 4 inches of rain in a short time period.

This rain will fall across the snowpack that has already set up on top of the Green and White Mountains in New England. Warmer temperatures will release water from the melting snow just as the rain hits the snowpack and accelerates this process. As a result, streams and rivers across Vermont and New Hampshire will be at risk of flooding.

The Southeast will not be the only part of the nation at risk of severe thunderstorms this weekend. The threat of these storms will also infiltrate the Northeast, packing strong winds that could cause widespread damage. The areas near the coast will see the strongest wind gusts, particularly in the Northeast. This is a good time to secure all holiday decorations or anything else that could become a projectile in the strong winds.

The most noticeable impacts along the populated Interstate 95 corridor will be a soaking rain that lingers into Monday morning. Major cities such as Boston, New York City, and Philadelphia will also see the winds begin to pick up late Sunday. The high winds and heavy rain will almost certainly create havoc on the roads and in the skies.

Winds Will Create Coastal Flooding Impacts

Wind gusts of up to 50 mph are possible in Boston and New York City with these gusts hitting up to 70 mph across the coastal areas in Long Island, Cape Cod, and Martha’s Vineyard. Unfortunately, the strong winds are likely to coincide with high tide and a new moon late Sunday, creating a good chance of coastal flooding. This flooding is forecast for the south-facing coasts throughout southern portions of New England and down into New York City. People in this area should be prepared for a storm surge of 2 – 3 over usual tide levels.

While not as significant, coastal flooding is also in the forecast on Sunday in the Chesapeake and Delaware Bays. This part of the mid-Atlantic will experience a water level rise of about 1 – 2 feet above average.

Monday’s Forecast Calls for Lingering Rain Showers

The rain showers will stick around through much of the region on Monday morning. New York City is expected to wake up to lingering light rain showers while heavier bands of moisture will still be swirling to the north in areas such as Boston. Commuters can expect the evening commute to be a bit drier on Monday.

Areas to the south, including Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., will only see light and brief rain showers on Monday. However, airline delays may still be an issue until the storm moves off of the coast and out to sea later in the day.

Although you can count on drier conditions late Monday, significantly colder air is forecast to push in behind the exiting storm system. This drop in the mercury will feel like quite a shock when compared to the unseasonable warmth of the weekend.

The mass of colder air merging with the backside of the storm will support the development of snow across the interior Northeast and into the higher elevations of the Appalachians. Up to a foot of new snow could fall across the top terrains of this region. Stay tuned as forecasters get a better idea about when and where the snow will fall to start the new week.

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