Coastal Thunderstorms
8/15/2008 1:29 PM
A pocket of cool air in the upper levels of the atmosphere has been and will continue to be responsible for locally heavy, gusty thunderstorms in
major urban centers along the Interstate 95 corridor through Saturday.
The
Severe Weather Center reports the strongest storms will rumble during the
afternoon and evening hours as daytime heating adds instability to the pool of cool air that is parked over the region.
The strongest storms will produce large hail and gusty winds. However, many storms can bring blinding downpours with short-lived urban flooding
possible in some communities.
Strong storms rolled along the I-95 corridor Thursday. Heavy rain forced the closure of a section of the Long Island Expressway, and hail pounded
Bayside in Queens. Farther inland, heavy rain sparked street flooding in Reading, Pa. Storms were pounding many of these same locations Friday
evening.
The risk of locally drenching, gusty thunderstorms will resume Saturday afternoon and evening in coastal areas. A push of dry air from the northwest
should ease or greatly reduce the threat in the same areas Sunday.
Temperatures this weekend will be near normal for mid-August, while moderate humidity will make it feel comfortable for this time of year.
Temperatures will swing to above-normal levels next week as a zone of high pressure builds off of the mid-Atlantic coast. That system may become a
key player as far as the track of Tropical Storm Fay currently near Hispaniola.
According to the
AccuWeather.com Hurricane Center, that while Fay will batter the
large Caribbean Islands of Hispaniola and Cuba this weekend, mountainous terrain on these island will negatively affect Fay as well. Fay would have
to move a bit to the north or the south of these islands over the weekend to markedly intensify. According to the
South Regional News story, Florida is in the middle of the path
possibilities for early next week.
Story by AccuWeather.com Expert Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski
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