Weekend Weather Preview

The start of the weekend start out on a generally quieter note compared to recent days, but rain and thunderstorms look to soak most of the nation by Sunday.

Saturday
A significant rainmaker will move through the Northeast as the rest of the country sees calmer weather.

A modest low pressure will move quickly through the Northeast as a result of an upper-level system spinning around in southern Canada. This will bring moderate to heavy rain totals not only the Northeast but parts of the Mid-Atlantic. There will not be much wind involved with this low-pressure system unlike nor’easters that commonly move through the Northeast.

A few showers and thunderstorms will be possible across central to southern Florida and southern Texas. This is due to the remnants of a cold front that will sweep some moisture out of these areas and make it a touch cooler.

An isolated severe storm threat will exist in the central to southern Plains. The environment isn’t primed for tornadoes, but large hail and damaging wind gusts are threats to look out for.

There should be mountain showers and storms from the eastern Rockies and west into California. With how dry it’s been, the more south and west you go in the U.S., the less the chance. These will be spotty in nature but with the drought as of late these could cause wildfires from lightning and damaging wind gusts.

The West Coast, northern Plains, and most of the Pacific Northwest will be dry with some weak high pressure around. There will be a glancing blow of an upper-level system in Washington and will promote some showers especially around Seattle.

High temperatures in the 50s and 60s will exist in the Northeast and Pacific Northwest. The Northern Plains, upper Rockies, Mid-Atlantic and the Carolinas will experience 70s. Eighties will be found in the Southeast, along the Gulf Coast, and in the central to southern Plains. Highs in the 90s and perhaps 100s will be found in the Southwest and in the valleys of the western Rockies.

Sunday
The U.S. will remain under the influence of two low pressure systems on Sunday. The first low pressure system will spin over eastern Canada, while the other low pressure moves across western Canada. With both low pressure systems, there will be associated cold fronts that impact both the western and eastern U.S. There will also be a nearly stationary cold front draped from the southern Plains into the Gulf and southern Florida.

As a result of these low pressure systems, most of the nation will have chances of rain and thunderstorms for the end of the weekend. The Rockies and Southwest, far southern Texas, the Southeast, southern Florida and the Northeast will all have the best chance of rain and thunderstorms, mainly in the afternoon and evening. 

Given the wet pattern over the past few days, there could be some localized flooding in areas, especially throughout the Eastern Seaboard. A few stronger thunderstorms also cannot be ruled out in the southern Plains and Southeast. The main concerns would be damaging winds, but large hail and a tornado or two cannot be ruled out.

Meanwhile, the north-central U.S. will be right in the middle of these two weather systems. Dry weather is anticipated for the northern Plains, Midwest and Great Lakes. The immediate West Coast should also be free of weather worries for the conclusion of the weekend.

The Northeast, northern Mid-Atlantic, Ohio Valley and Appalachian Spine will have the coolest temperatures, with highs in the 50s and 60s. However, a few of the tallest elevations could only see temperatures reach the 40s. The Pacific Northwest, Cascades and highest peaks in the Rockies will also generally have highs in the 50s and 60s. 

Warmer 70s and 80s will be most common across the nation, including the interior Northwest, Great Basin and rest of the Rockies into the northern and central Plains, Midwest, Southeast and southern Mid-Atlantic. Isolated 90s could show up in parts of the Great Basin though, with widespread 90s and lower 100s for California and the Desert Southwest as well as most of the southern Plains and parts of Florida.