The last day of April

 

The surface chart and radar

 

We can see the cold front moving across the region, along with a series of troughs, causing variable clouds and scattered rain showers. The air is rather cool, as shown by the NAM 3K temperature plot, curtesy of Tropical Tidbits.  

From today through Saturday, as an upper level low up over the Great Lakes allows these series of troughs to continue to move across the region; keeping us a bit cool and unsettled with isolated to scattered rain showers. Then late Saturday into Sunday two areas of low pressure, currently near the Southwest U.S and the other over the northern Plains near the Canadian Border, will work through and redevelop off the Middle Atlantic Coast.  Right now, this looks to stay south and east enough that it will only graze southern New England and brush the Mid-Atlantic this will bring some rain later Saturday into Saturday night for these areas, the area’s most likely to be impacted look to be along and southeast of the Interstate 95 corridor. Interior parts of the region should stay relatively dry.

 

Monday high pressure will move in keeping the threat of scattered showers in the forecast, especially for northern parts of the region, but temperatures will become milder. Then on Tuesday another cold front will approach continuing to keep things unsettled along with variable cloud cover. For Tuesday night and Wednesday the cold front will stall and become stationary; this will keep the threat for scattered showers along and south and east of the boundary.  Thursday a stronger area of low pressure will approach, resulting in widespread rain showers that could be heavy it times. There could also be scattered thunderstorms. It is possible some of these storms could be strong to severe.

The Drought Monitor

The U.S. Drought Monitor released on Thursday, April 30 showed drought and/or abnormally dry conditions expand in southern and coastal parts of the Northeast. This was due to factors such as limited precipitation, record to near-record low streamflow, and reduced groundwater levels and soil moisture. Agricultural impacts have also been noted in West Virginia. However, conditions improved in northern and eastern Maine, where groundwater levels continue to recover.

This week. 

Last week.

Have a great day!