Sporadic Rain Showers and Storms Persist in the Northeast

While the spring season started on a dry note across much of the Northeast, that has all changed in recent days with persistent waves of moisture chugging over the region. This soggy forecast is going to linger until the Mother's Day weekend with more rain and the threat of severe storms on deck. Here is a look at the unsettled forecast that is impacting some of the nation's largest urban centers.

Northeastern U.S. Forecast to Experience Regular Waves of Rain All Week

The sunbreaks will not last for long this week across the northeastern U.S. The moisture over the weekend was good news for the drought concerns in this part of the country. Meteorologists are predicting that the incoming moisture this week will go even further to mitigate the dry conditions that had been contributing to the elevated wildfire danger over the last few weeks.

It will be difficult for residents to time their outdoor pursuits this week as each day will bring a new chance of rain. However, the coming days will not be a complete washout. Forecasters are offering some hope of a few breaks in the moisture.

The rain will also be inconsistent. While some of the waves will bring periods of heavy rain, there will also be longer periods of dry conditions. Residents should also prepare for the chance of thunderstorms. Potential impacts in these storm cells include large hail and high winds.

The slow-moving nature of the rain showers will raise the risk of flooding. By the time this soggy pattern wraps up, the hardest hit areas are expected to pick up rainfall amounts of 4 to 8 inches. Rainfall of this magnitude will increase the chances of urban and small stream flooding. Additionally, minor coastal flooding is a possibility during times of high tide.

The real feel readings will also fluctuate depending on whether the rain is falling or if the sun is out. Checking the hourly forecast for your specific location will be beneficial this week if you have outdoor plans.

Timing of the Rain

New England will bear the brunt of the heaviest bands of rain on Tuesday. Portland, Maine, is forecast to see a quarter of an inch of rain during the day with another half of an inch likely after the sun goes down. The thick cloud cover will limit the natural daytime heating, keeping the mercury in the low 50s for a high. There will be little to no variance in the temperatures as lows bottom out in the upper 40s.

New York City will see a little bit of everything this week. A steady rain on Tuesday will lighten up slightly on Wednesday. The Big Apple is most likely to see a brief break in the moisture on Wednesday afternoon. However, the moisture machine will fire up again on Thursday afternoon and evening, intensifying further on Friday.

Highs in New York City will bounce around throughout the week. After topping out in the mid 60s on Tuesday, the mercury will climb into the low to mid 70s on Wednesday and Thursday. Increasing clouds on Friday will limit the highs to about the 60-degree mark before another rebound just in time for the weekend.

Philadelphia will also see the return of storms on Thursday afternoon and evening. The City of Brotherly Love is expecting this rainy pattern to persist into Friday morning before a drier and warmer weekend sets up.

Thursday's rain line will creep farther to the south, putting places such as Washington, D.C. into the line of fire. The nation's capital will see increasing clouds throughout the day, ushering in the opportunity for rain showers in the afternoon, evening, and overnight hours. Despite the increase in clouds, highs will still climb into the upper 70s before falling into the low 50s overnight.

Looking Ahead to the Mother's Day Weekend

The weekend forecast is looking more promising for longer periods of dry weather in the Northeast. However, that does not mean that a stray rain shower will not be able to sneak into the region at times.

A dry air mass is forecast to take shape over the Midwest on Friday, eventually moving to the east as the weekend progresses. This means that the back half of the weekend is likely to be more conducive to outdoor activities. Until that time, it is best to take advantage of any dry period that you can get as it is likely to be short-lived.

Going back to New York City, Manhattan is forecast to see mostly sunny conditions over the weekend with highs in the low to mid 70s. Temperatures will dip quickly after the sun goes down, settling in the mid 50s.

It will be even warmer farther inland. Philadelphia is forecast to see a return to the 80-degree mark on Sunday thanks to plentiful sunshine. Those planning picnics for Mother's Day are likely going to be in luck in this part of the region. Stay tuned for a more detailed look at what to expect on this special day across the country.

Did you find this content useful? Feel free to bookmark or to post to your timeline for reference later.