Rain and Cooler Temperatures on the Way to the Northeast

The stretch of dry and hot conditions is about to come to an end in the Northeast. When will the relief arrive, and how long will it last? Read on for all of the details.

Rain Back in the Cards for the Northeast This Week

The northeastern U.S. is forecast to see the arrival of pesky thunderstorms and rain showers by Wednesday, ending the hot and dry weather pattern that has gripped this corner of the country in recent days. Much of the region has not seen a single raindrop since the calendar flipped from July to August, amplifying the building heat.

A few urban areas have picked up only small amounts of rain over the last few weeks. For instance, New York's measuring station at Central Park recorded a mere 0.06 of an inch of moisture on August 6. It was only slightly wetter to the north in Boston, an area that recorded 0.28 of an inch of rain back on August 1.

While the absence of meaningful precipitation has been good news for those hoping to take advantage of outdoor activities before the summer season comes to an end, the intense sunshine has left crops and lawns stressed.

Water levels across area streams are also beginning to dip. Evaporation rates naturally increase at the hands of the powerful sunshine this time of the year. This means that the region could use a surge of moisture to get it back on track heading into the end of the summer.

The high-pressure zone that has been parked over the Northeast for the last week will finally move off the coastline and out to sea. This movement will pair with the arrival of a storm that has been dousing the Midwest over the last few days to raise the chances of rain for the Northeast. The incoming precipitation from the west will meet up with a surge of moisture from the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf to amplify rainfall amounts beginning on Wednesday.

How Much Rain to Expect

Higher humidity levels will inherently boost the odds of rain showers and thunderstorms. Forecasters are calling for widespread rainfall amounts of 0.25 to 0.50 of an inch of rain out of this weather maker. The communities that see the heaviest bands of rain could pick up rainfall of about an inch and a half by the time that the moisture machine turns off.

The incoming moisture is not likely to approach the degree of rainfall that flooded parts of Milwaukee over the weekend. However, those in the Northeast cannot rule out the threat of a torrential rain event capable of creating havoc on the roadways.

The increase in clouds and rain will also serve to bring down the mercury. The flip side is that the increasing humidity levels will also lead to muggier conditions during the overnight hours.

The bulk of the rain is predicted to fall on Wednesday. Some parts of the coastal Northeast and the mid-Atlantic will see the precipitation stick around through Thursday.

Looking ahead to the weekend forecast, a different cool front is predicted to dip down from Canada and trigger the chance of scattered rain showers and thunderstorms throughout the Northeast.

Another mass of dry air is anticipated to push into the Northeast by the end of the work week. The change in the weather will knock down humidity levels and temperatures. The interior portions of the northern reaches of the region can expect to see the most noticeable relief from the heat.

For instance, Pittsburgh will drop from the low 90s to start the week to highs that top out in the low to mid 80s on Wednesday and Thursday. The Steel City will see the greatest chance of storms early in the day on Wednesday before the line of activity pushes farther to the east.

The coolest day of the week in New York City is expected on Saturday. Residents and tourists can expect the mercury to max out in the mid 80s at this time with mostly sunny skies making for a pleasant day to explore the Big Apple.

Once again, the Southeast will be dealing with the threat of flash flooding in the days ahead. This is a part of the country that has been hammered with widespread storm events throughout the month of August. A budding tropical weather maker in the Atlantic will amplify the chances of more heavy rain through the weekend.

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