Cloudy Conditions, Rain, and Chilly Temperatures for the Northeast

It will not feel as if the unofficial start of summer is approaching across the Northeast this week. A cool and rainy weather pattern will make it feel more like the beginning of spring rather than the beginning of summer in this corner of the country. Here is a look at this chilly and dreary forecast.

Rainy and Chilly Weather Headed for the Northeast This Week

A chill will be in the air this week across the Northeast. This chill will be amplified by extensive cloud cover, rain, and stiff breezes. While the new work week will start on a drier note for the East Coast, that will change by the middle of the week. Monday's forecast is calling for mostly sunny skies and seasonable temperatures for the mid-Atlantic. New England will be the only part of the region to see lingering rain showers from the weekend.

Clouds will begin to build on Tuesday across the central Appalachians, signaling the shift in the weather ahead. A storm that is forecast to menace the mid-Atlantic on Wednesday will use its energy to bring down cooler air from Canada before firing back up along the coast of the Northeast on Thursday and Friday.

The influx of cooler air coming from eastern Canada will result in temperatures that land 10 to 20 degrees below the historical average for the end of May. This will translate to readings in the 50s and 60s in major metro areas such as Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Boston by the back half of the week. This is the time of the year when temperatures generally hover in the 70s.

Looking out the window from your home, it may look more like winter outside with all of the moisture and the clouds. The moisture machine will fire up late Tuesday in the mid-Atlantic before re-emerging off the coast of the Northeast later in the week. The heaviest bands of rain are forecast to set up over parts of southeastern New England.

What to Expect in Specific Cities

As noted earlier, Tuesday will be the day of transition for most cities in the region. New York City will see the clouds move in during the afternoon and evening hours, bringing the temperatures down slightly from Monday's highs. Tuesday's forecast in the Big Apple is calling for partly cloudy skies and a high of about 69 degrees with lows that fall into the mid 50s.

The rain will intensify throughout the day on Wednesday, amounting to about a half of an inch overnight and into Thursday. Another quarter of an inch of rain is expected on Thursday. Temperatures will bounce around in the mid to upper 50s on both of these days in New York City. Winds will also pick up speed on Wednesday in the large metro area, hitting speeds of 10 to 20 mph from the east.

The rain will arrive earlier to the south. Washington, D.C. should expect the shower activity to pick up overnight Tuesday, setting up a soggy Wednesday morning commute. The nation's capital is expecting about a half of an inch of rain on Wednesday with thunderstorms grabbing the headlines on Thursday.

Temperatures in Washington, D.C. will manage to make it into the mid 70s on Tuesday before topping out in the upper 50s on Wednesday. Thursday's forecast is calling for a high in the mid 60s before the drier and weather pattern begins to build across the region on Friday.

The impacts of this storm will take longer to expand to the north and into Boston. The bulk of the moisture will fall on Thursday with a forecast of about half of an inch during the day and another half of an inch in store for the overnight hours. This will be a messy day in the largest city in New England with highs that struggle to reach the 50-degree mark and winds whipping around from the east-northeast at speeds of 20 to 30 mph.

The long-range forecast models suggest that the threat of rain will linger through the middle of the day on Saturday in Boston. Temperatures will not likely reach the 60s again until at least Sunday.

This far-reaching storm system will also affect the interior portions of the Northeast. Pittsburgh is anticipating the moisture to arrive late Tuesday and into Wednesday with a quarter of an inch of rain expected after the sun goes down. Wednesday is shaping up to be a stormy day in the Steel City with rainfall of about an inch in the forecast.

Pittsburgh can expect another day of periodic rain showers on Thursday and into early Friday before calmer conditions take hold. The mercury will fall from the mid 60s on Wednesday into the upper 50s on Thursday and Friday. These readings are well below the historical average of the low 70s during this time of the year.

Lastly, the Great Lakes will see the first impacts of the weather pattern change. Chicago is bracing for a rocky day of weather on Tuesday with rainfall accumulations of an inch in the forecast. Temperature readings will max out in the mid 50s, pairing with winds out of the east at 20 to 30 mph. The unseasonably chilly temperatures in the 50s will linger across the Windy City well after the rain has passed.

Potential Concerns Associated with the Weather Maker

Most of the region should be able to handle the moisture associated with this weather event. The areas of the central Appalachians most at risk of seeing flooding issues will once again be vulnerable to dangerous water rises on rivers, streams, and creeks. Some of these communities experienced flooding less than a week ago.

Areas that do not have to deal with flooding concerns will still be experiencing slower commute times and the chance of disruptions to air travel. The culprit for the flight delays will primarily come in the form of low cloud ceilings generating foggy conditions.

The three-day stretch of intermittent rain will also make outdoor activities challenging. Checking the hourly forecast for your particular area will be the best strategy to fit in those outdoor plans.

Meteorologists are also warning that minor coastal flooding could become a concern if the storm takes its time moving off the coast.

The long-range forecast indicates that the Northeast will begin to dry out by the Memorial Day weekend, widely recognized as the unofficial beginning of the summer season. However, lingering rain showers could translate to a slow start to the festivities. Stay tuned as we update the Memorial Day weekend forecast for the entire country shortly.

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