Dry Weather to be Erased Again for the Northeastern U.S.

The current period of dry weather is about to come to a crashing halt in the northeastern U.S. with a soggier pattern in store for the rest of the week. Here is a closer look at when you can expect the rain to arrive in the Northeast and how long it will stick around once it settles into the region.

Rain Back on Deck for the Northeast Beginning Late Tuesday

The Memorial Day weekend got off to a wet start across the Northeast thanks to a lingering nor'easter that hit this corner of the country during the latter part of last week. The rain associated with this powerful storm was slow to exit the region, resulting in daily showers across the interior Northeast and parts of the mid-Atlantic. By Monday, the only traces of rain were relegated to the northern reaches of New England.

A mass of dry air moved in behind the nor'easter, helping to salvage the end of the long holiday weekend. However, that dry air is now on its way out as moisture from a storm currently circulating over the southern U.S. makes its way to the north.

The latest forecast models indicate that areas of rain showers will break out and stretch farther to the north on Tuesday and Wednesday, encompassing all but the far northern tier of New England in the next two days. People with outdoor plans will want to wrap it up by late Tuesday when the showers are expected to arrive.

The line of precipitation is expected to creep through the central Appalachians, the mid-Atlantic, and up into the southwestern corner of New England by late Tuesday and early Wednesday. The greatest chance of heavy rain will be across the eastern Great Lakes region and over into the Chesapeake and Delaware bays. This swath of land should prepare for 1 to 2 inches of rain between late Tuesday and late Wednesday.

Buffalo is forecast to pick up rainfall of about a quarter of an inch during the day Wednesday with another quarter of an inch on tap for the overnight hours. The mercury will struggle to climb out of the low 60s for a high on both Wednesday and Thursday for the city along Lake Erie. Winds will also pick up speed on Thursday, hitting speeds of 10 to 20 mph from the southwest.

Baltimore will be in the bullseye for the heaviest rain bands of this pattern. Charm City is forecast to record about an inch of rain on Wednesday alone, adding to the half of an inch of moisture that is in the forecast after the sun goes down on Tuesday.

Temperatures will take a dive in Baltimore on Wednesday, dipping from highs in the 70s on Tuesday to a top reading of 62 degrees. The mercury will be on the upswing again on Thursday with a forecast high of 80 degrees in Baltimore.

New York City will see the greatest chance of substantial rain overnight on Wednesday. The Big Apple is expecting about a quarter of an inch of precipitation at this time. There will be just a slight variation in the temperatures on Wednesday with highs in the mid 60s falling into the upper 50s overnight.

The interior portions of the Northeast will also get in on the rain action. Places such as Pittsburgh are anticipating about a half of an inch of rain on Wednesday with highs that max out in the low to mid 60s.

Thursday's Forecast Calls for Rain to Stretch Farther North

The rain is not expected to hit northern New England until Thursday. A good chunk of the moisture will have been squeezed out of this weather maker by that time, resulting in lighter rain showers for this area.

Places such as Boston will see the rain develop on Thursday morning. The temperatures will also drop noticeably on this day, sliding from highs in the upper 70s on Wednesday to readings that top out at about 62 degrees. Winds out of the southeast at 10 to 15 mph will amplify the chill in the air in Boston.

Heading into Friday and the weekend, the rain is forecast to become more isolated in nature. The sporadic nature of the showers will make it more difficult to predict. The result will be a mix of rain-free weather balanced with times of showery activity. Residents in the Northeast should also not count out random times of heavy rain through at least Saturday.

Meteorologists believe that the majority of the rain showers will ignite during the afternoon and evening hours. This pattern will make the early part of the day the best bet for fitting in outdoor chores and other activities that depend on dry weather.

The caveat that could throw this forecast into question will be a storm that is expected to track to the east from the Midwest on Friday and Saturday. Should this system become more organized, a portion of the central Appalachians, the mid-Atlantic, and New England could see a steady rainfall develop for about 12 hours on Saturday. Conversely, a weaker storm will translate to just spotty showers that pop up in the afternoon and evening. This is a development that meteorologists will be watching closely in the days ahead.

Going back to Boston, the major metro area of New England will see more rain develop on Saturday. The increasing cloud cover will also knock down the temperatures again, resulting in highs of just 66 degrees to start the weekend.

The pattern of cool and rainy conditions for the Northeast is likely to end as the calendar flips from May to June. This is a promising long-range forecast for those itching for weather conducive to traditional summer activities such as swimming and outdoor cooking.

The start of the meteorological summer on June 1 will usher in a warming trend that will kick-start the new week. The heat that is currently building over the western U.S. is forecast to push to the east next week and take hold of the Northeast. This will result in highs in the 50s, 60s, and 70s giving way to readings that hover in the 80s and 90s on a widespread basis.

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