Weekend Weather Preview

A wet pattern continues across the central to eastern U.S. with daily storms this weekend.

Saturday
Significant heavy rain and storms will occur across the Southern Plains, Mid-South, Southeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Ohio Valley. A few different concentrated lines of storms will move across these areas as the day goes on. Damaging wind will be a significant threat with these as well as the risk for a couple tornadoes. Any scattered storms will carry more of a hail and isolated tornado threat. Flash flooding will be especially prominent across Oklahoma, Arkansas, Mississippi, and Tennessee.

Steady rain and showers will move out of the Central Plains toward the Great Lakes. A quarter of an inch to 2 inches is likely in eastern portions of Kansas, Nebraska and most of Iowa.

A low-pressure system exiting the Northeast will lay down half an inch to 2-inch rain totals in New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Central Maine will see the heaviest totals of rain from this low-pressure.

An upper-level system begins to drop down into picture from Canada into the Northern Plains. Storms and showers are likely late in the day.

Besides a few stray showers in the higher elevation of the Four Corners states, the West Coast and Rocky Mountains will be dry. This is the beginning of a hot stretch for the Pacific Northwest.

Highs in the 50s are likely across the high peaks of the Rockies. There may be a few highs in the 60s across Nebraska, Iowa, and Missouri. Seventies will be found in lower elevation Pacific Northwest, Northern Plains, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, Northeast. Highs in the 80s and 90s will occur in the Mid-South, Southeast, southern Mid-Atlantic, Gulf Coast. It's likely to see triple digits across the desert Southwest and southern Texas.
 
Sunday
A complex weather pattern will be set up over the eastern two-thirds of the nation on Sunday. There will be a nearly stationary front draped from the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast into the southern Plains, while a cold front slices through the nation’s midsection.

Rain and thunderstorms will soak most of the central and eastern U.S. throughout the day as a result. However, the best chance will be in the afternoon and evening. The exception will be the Northeast that will stay generally dry during the day, with perhaps some showers and thunderstorms moving in during the evening.

Severe weather will be a possibility for the end of the weekend, with the greatest concern being the southern Plains and the Southeast. Within thunderstorms, be prepared for damaging wind gusts, large hail and perhaps a few tornadoes. There is also the potential for heavy downpours, which could lead to some localized flooding.

The Rockies will be on the western fringes of both fronts, which combined with some lingering moisture will trigger some showers and thunderstorms. Otherwise, high pressure will build over the West. Expect hot and dry weather here.

The coolest spots on Sunday will be the tallest peaks in the Rockies, the northern Plains, the Upper Great Lakes and the Appalachian Spine into the Northeast. These areas will all record highs in the upper 50s and 60s. Most of the U.S. will have temperatures peak in the 70s and 80s. The far southern U.S. will also have widespread 90s, while triple digit heat is likely in the Desert Southwest and southern Plains.