Rain and Rising Temperatures the Story for the Northeast This Week

Posted: May 3, 2021 10:11 am

After a chilly weekend that saw gusty winds and unsettled conditions, the warm temperatures will return once again to the Northeast to start the week. Out west, fire danger will be the story of the week as dry conditions persist.

Winds Brought in Unsettled Weekend

It has been a bit of a roller coaster ride with the weather throughout the weekend in the Northeast and the mid-Atlantic. The weekend started with much of the area under wind advisories, high wind warnings, or gale warnings throughout the day Friday. The top wind speed in the region was recorded on Friday in Dundalk, Maryland, with a gust of 66 mph. Jersey City, New Jersey, was close behind with a recorded gust of 65 mph in the early evening hours.

This wind ushered in cooler temperatures for the weekend, including temperatures hovering around the freezing mark in some of the coldest areas on Saturday morning. The good news is that the winds prevented hard frosts from setting in, protecting those plants that had already been put into the ground.

Stormy Conditions in the Forecast for Monday

While Sunday was relatively dry in most areas, another storm system is predicted to bring more wet weather to the Northeast on Monday. This rain will primarily fall in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and southern New England. This is a promising forecast for areas that are still experiencing moderate drought conditions.

Moving farther to the south, the rain will present as thunderstorms. This includes the metropolitan areas of Washington, DC, and Baltimore. New York City is also poised to see rain, a welcome relief for a city that only saw 60% of its average rainfall in April this year.

Heat Back in the Forecast

Along with the rain on Monday, the temperatures will also start their upward trajectory on Tuesday. Some areas in the mid-Atlantic may even challenge record highs. For example, Washington, DC, is expected to near the 90-degree mark on Tuesday. The record high is 93 degrees set in 1928. Baltimore is predicted to land around 88 degrees, coming close to the 2018 record of 91 degrees.

Farther to the south, Richmond, Virginia, will see temperatures around 93 degrees. Should this happen, it will beat the 1965 record of 92 degrees. For reference, the normal temperature range for early May in Richmond is in the mid-70s.

More Rain on the Way

As the week continues, widespread showers will set in throughout the Northeast on Tuesday. There will be a brief reprieve in the precipitation before another storm system heads toward the Atlantic coastal regions late Wednesday and into Thursday. This wet weather will center on the eastern side of the Appalachians.

Fire Danger Out West

While much of the East Coast will spend the week dodging rain, fires will be the story out west. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a wind advisory in effect until 11 pm local time on Sunday for the mountain regions of Southern California. Gusts of up to 55 mph are possible. This wind could continue into the week, exacerbating the fire danger as the region continues to deal with serious drought conditions.

Southern Fire Flares Up

A fire in San Diego County flared up on Saturday near the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. Dubbed the Southern Fire, this blaze grew from 40 acres to 800 acres in only an hour on Saturday, reaching a burn coverage of almost 3,000 acres by early Sunday. As of mid-day Sunday, the fire was only 5% contained. The blaze also led to the evacuation of approximately 500 people at the Butterfield Ranch campground.

Red Flag Warning

The danger is not just in Southern California. Parts of Northern California are also under a red flag warning in effect until Tuesday. There is no rain forecasted for the state until at least the middle of the week. The dry conditions paired with rising temperatures will lead to an elevated risk of wildfires erupting. The valley areas of Sacramento and Fresno will see the mercury soar into the 90s early in the week. This is about 10-15 degrees above normal for early May.

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