Millions of Americans are facing severe weather forecasts over Memorial Day weekend. Rain and thunderstorms are expected here.
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A whirlwind Memorial Day weekend awaits millions of Americans.
In fact, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said in an online forecast that people looking to enjoy Memorial Day weekend activities “could face thunderstorms, heavy rain and flash flooding from Texas to New England.”
Federal forecasters agreed with this prediction, saying, “An unsettled weather pattern is expected to continue across much of the south-central United States this weekend and next weekend, with multiple showers and thunderstorms expected,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Weather Prediction Center.
And while much of the rain will help alleviate drought conditions, “some areas will experience multiple episodes of heavy rain with the potential for flash flooding,” AccuWeather senior meteorologist Brett Anderson said in an online forecast.
Meanwhile, much of the Rocky Mountains, the Pacific Coast and the southeastern tip will remain mostly dry, AccuWeather said.
Heavy rain makes headlines
Heavy rain is expected to dominate weather headlines from central Texas to the Ohio Valley over the weekend, the Weather Prediction Center said in an online forecast. The heaviest rain is expected to fall across East Central Texas this weekend, with multiple storm systems potentially developing and impacting the same region.
AccuWeather said several inches of rain is expected to fall over several days in parts of Texas, western Tennessee and Kentucky. Widespread rainfall amounts could total 1 to 4 inches, with localized precipitation exceeding 6 inches possible.
“Recurrent showers and thunderstorms could cause outdoor events to be delayed by lightning, so residents and travelers from central and northeastern Texas to West Virginia should keep rain gear nearby,” Sosnowski said.
In flood-prone Houston, the National Weather Service said, “This rainfall will generate runoff and cause rising water levels in area rivers and watersheds…(We) cannot completely rule out moderate to isolated major flooding, depending on where the heaviest rainfall occurs.”
A “major flood” in Houston means a bayou or river overflows its banks, inundating large areas as well as low-lying areas and roads.
cool northeast
After a warm start to the week, temperatures across the Northeast will return to conditions reminiscent of early spring, with highs in the 60s heading into the weekend, according to Fox Weather.
A cool, cloudy pattern is forming over much of the Northeast and New England later this week and into the weekend. “Temperature-wise, a ‘cold dam’ type event is likely to become established east of the Appalachians, with periods of cloudy skies and occasional mainly drizzle, and warm, humid conditions will continue south of the border as the work week ends,” the weather forecast center said.
Southwest is the best
According to AccuWeather, the best weather will be in the Southwest from May 23 to May 25, with most days expected to be sunny. Cool weather with scattered rain is expected in parts of the Pacific Northwest on Memorial Day.
“Significant warming is expected across the northern Plains on Monday,” AccuWeather’s Anderson said.
Doyle Rice is a national correspondent for USA TODAY, focusing on weather and climate.
