Wet and Cooler Conditions on the Way for the Northeast in Coming Days

Posted: May 22, 2023 3:10 pm

The week heading into the Memorial Day holiday could be fraught with cooler temperatures and rain for much of the Northeast. Will rain ruin the three-day weekend festivities? Here is a look at the forecast this week and into the weekend.

Potential of More Rain on the Way for the Northeast

It has been an exceptionally dry start to the month of May for the bulk of the region. That all changed this past weekend when the Northeast and New England welcomed rainfall amounts of up to 2 inches of rain in some areas. The heaviest of the rain fell in a zone from New Hampshire into Maine.

The city of Boston came in with 1.83 inches of rain on Saturday afternoon and night. Farther to the north, Portland, Maine saw over 2 inches of rain. A whopping 3 inches fell in Providence, Rhode Island, an amount not far from the total amount typically seen across all of May.

Sunday ushered in drier conditions for much of the Northeast and beyond, a pattern that is forecast to hold on for a few more days. This dry pattern will be a continuation for what the region has seen for the majority of the month.

According to the U.S. Drought Monitor, there are six zones of abnormally dry destinations in the eastern part of the country.

Rain Possibilities This Week in the Northeast

Conditions are forecast to remain mostly dry to start the week. However, a few small disturbances will bring the possibility of light rain to the Northeast. The greatest chance of rain on Monday and Tuesday will be in the higher terrains of Pennsylvania, New York state, and into the southwestern corner of New England.

Another round of rain may be on tap for this area on Wednesday when a front pushes across the Great Lakes and into the Atlantic coastal areas.

Northern Pennsylvania, most of New York state, western Massachusetts, and northern New England will be the areas most likely to squeeze some precipitation out of this weather maker.

Cooler Temperatures Will Move in After the Rain

A new wave of cool Canadian air will filter in behind the rain. While this will usher in a few days of drier air, it will come at the cost of unseasonably cool temperatures. Readings on Thursday and Friday are expected to fall below average for this time of the year.

For instance, highs will tumble into the mid to upper 60s in New York City to close out the work week. It will be even chillier farther inland. Syracuse may struggle to hit the 60-degree barrier on Thursday before the mercury begins to climb again.

Moving to the north, Boston will also hover in the low 60s on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

The early morning low temperatures readings will be downright cold in some places. You can expect widespread readings as low as the high 30s on Thursday and Friday morning across a large swath of land stretching from Virginia and up into Maine.

The higher elevations may see the threat of freezing temperatures or frost conditions on these days. Be sure to check your local forecast starting Wednesday and pay close attention to overnight lows. You may need to cover sensitive flowers or vegetation.

Early Look at Memorial Day Weekend Forecast

Temperatures are expected to rebound slightly heading into the holiday weekend. The warmup may come accompanied by rain showers, potentially putting some outdoor plans in jeopardy.

The storm system that is predicted to move across the coastal Southeast this week will eventually make its way up the Atlantic Coast just in time for the Memorial Day weekend.

In addition to this weather maker, forecasters are keeping a close eye on the potential development of a tropical feature off the coast of Florida.

Forecasters are still uncertain as to how close the storm system will hug the coast. This track will determine if the most popular beaches will experience a rainout during the unofficial start to the summer season. There is a chance that the storm system could move farther east than anticipated and leave the Northeast dry.

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