A cold front moving east is set to bring a weekend of wet weather across the U.S. East Coast, potentially impacting major cities with heavy rain and thunderstorms. The system, which has already caused severe weather in the Midwest, is forecast to push into the Southeast on Saturday, spreading northward into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
Warm and humid air is expected to fuel the storms, leading to the possibility of intense downpours over short periods. This has prompted a Level 1 out of 4 flash flood risk for areas stretching from parts of the Southeast into southern New England. Major cities including Atlanta, Raleigh, Washington D.C., and Philadelphia are included in this threat.
The precipitation is expected to continue into Sunday along the I-95 corridor as the cold front slowly moves toward the coast. Cities such as Philadelphia, New York City, and Boston may experience a cloudy and wet start to the day, with the chance of heavier rain showers. Rainfall totals are estimated to be between 0.5 to 1 inch across the East Coast, with some localized areas possibly receiving 1 to 2 inches if storms stall.
"Given recent rainfall, isolated flash flooding is possible through Sunday," stated the FOX Forecast Center. Areas like Charleston, South Carolina, are already experiencing rain, and a Coastal Flood Advisory is in effect, with additional precipitation and thunderstorms anticipated overnight into Friday.
The forecast suggests the wet weather will be short-lived. High pressure is anticipated to build into the region by early next week, bringing drier conditions to much of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.