Gulf Coast and Southeast Forecast to See Heavy Rain to Close Out the Year

Posted: December 30, 2022 7:37 am

An influx of moist and warm air coming up from the Gulf of Mexico will meet up with a mass of energy to close out the week, bringing rain to the eastern third of the U.S. While this weather maker will be far less severe than what the region saw heading into the Christmas holiday, the impacts may be enough to further snarl travel across the region.

Brace for More Travel Impacts with Heavy Rain

The system will get its start with drizzle across much of eastern Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi before moving to the east and north by the end of the week. Travel impacts will be likely along portions of interstates 10, 20, 40, and 55. This includes major metropolitan areas such as Nashville, New Orleans, and Houston.

The heaviest of the rain is forecast to fall in the southeastern corner of the country starting late Friday and continuing through Saturday. A general 1 – 2 inches of rain is on tap for the Florida Panhandle and up through the Carolinas. The system will also bring the chance of severe thunderstorms along the Gulf Coast.

The presence of fog may disrupt air travel at a number of major hubs, including the busy airports in Charlotte, Atlanta, Cincinnati, and up through Detroit. Ground stops may be a possibility, causing a ripple effect throughout the country. Be sure to check your flight status if you are flying out of or through any of these airports.

The fog will be most prevalent in the northern part of the country that saw snowfall last week. This is because the warm and moist air will move in over the cold air already in place with the snow-covered ground triggering the formation of fog. Visibility may drop to nearly zero in some areas.

Timing of Rain’s Arrival

Those in the Northeast can expect to see the rain late Saturday and into Sunday. The heavily traveled Interstate 95 corridor will be ground zero for the rainfall.

Although the Midwest and the Northeast are not forecast to see the heavy rain on tap for the South, the rain that does fall may meet with meeting snow to create blocked storm drains and flooding.

The redeeming quality of this weather maker will be the arrival of warmer air. Temperatures will hover in the 40s and 50s for the New Year’s weekend in the Northeast with readings in the 60s and 70s in the forecast for the Southeast. The unseasonably warm weather will be a welcome respite from the bitter cold that entrenched the eastern half of the country last weekend.

Looking Ahead to Next Week

The Arctic air that infiltrated the bulk of the U.S. leading up to Christmas will remain in Canada over the next week. This will keep snowfall amounts to a minimum out East. While there is a chance of some lake effect snow firing up on Sunday night, it will be a small amount compared to what the region has seen lately. Those areas along the Interstate 95 corridor are also not forecast to see any meaningful snow in the long-range predictions.

Forecasters are predicting that it will be the second week of January before the Atlantic coast sees air that is cold enough to support snow development. A change in the jet stream may be enough to bring storms through the East Coast over the course of January 7 – 14.

However, snow may make an appearance in parts of the Midwest, Plains states, and the Appalachians by next week. Stay tuned to your local forecast for all of the details.

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