Cooler and less humid conditions are settling in across the Northeast, while residents receive a brief respite as residents pick up the pieces after tornadoes ravaged the mid-Atlantic on Thursday evening. Unfortunately, more storms are on the way to the region before the weekend is over.
“A potent short wave of energy will sweep across the Great Lakes to the Northeast on Sunday delivering the threat for damaging storms by Sunday afternoon,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Benz.
A short wave is a disturbance in the middle or upper part of the atmosphere which induces upward motion ahead of it, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This upward motion allows storms to develop.
“A couple of pockets of severe weather are likely in the Northeast on Sunday, and the pattern switch may eventually lead to a great deal of rain in the Southeast and parts of the Northeast,” added AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
Much of the Northeast has already had its fair share of rain this month, with many cities having received over twice the amount of average rainfall so far in July. Boston has recorded over three times its normal amount. With storms bringing heavy downpours on Sunday, the region will likely start August quite wet as well.
“Unlike last week where there was ample moisture and very warm temperatures, this weekend is a bit cooler and less humid,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Matt Benz. This means severe storms are more likely to impact areas closer to the upper air disturbance anticipated to move across northern Pennsylvania through Upstate New York and northern New England.
Cities in the path of this storm include Rochester, Syracuse and Binghamton, New York. Burlington, Vermont; Albany, New York; and Williamsport, Pennsylvania, could all be on the edge of this severe risk as well.
It’s currently looking as though the Philadelphia area, previously damaged by several tornadoes on Thursday evening, won’t be directly in the line of fire for these severe storms, however, this is not a guarantee.
“If moisture levels can rebound sufficiently on Sunday along with higher temperatures, that threat for damaging storms may creep southward across Pennsylvania and New Jersey and closer to areas that were hit hard by tornadoes late last week,” Benz said.
Another area forecasters are predicting to experience severe weather on Sunday afternoon and evening is farther south, from the southern Delmarva Peninsula to coastal South Carolina. These storms can impact Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Wilmington, North Carolina; Virginia Beach, Virginia and Ocean City, Maryland.
For both of these areas, expected impacts include flooding downpours, hail, and damaging winds, with an AccuWeather Local StormMax™ of 70 mph.
Those spending time outside on Sunday should be extra cautious and aware of the situation, finding solid structures to take shelter in and checking the AccuWeather radar frequently. Flash flooding can occur, and motorists are reminded to never drive through floodwaters. Motorists should also be aware of changing visibilities in heavy rain.
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Damaging winds can cause power outages when tree limbs fall on power lines, so it’s important to be prepared for loss of electricity, including air conditioning. The Red Cross suggests that deaf and hard-of-hearing people take extra precautions to stay safe during weather emergencies.
There can even be some isolated tornadoes, forecasters say.
Especially after Thursday’s disastrous tornadoes in the Northeast, forecasters want to emphasize the dangers of these forces of nature. They urge residents to have a means of receiving warnings and to have a plan in place in case a tornado comes their way.
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