Downpours to end much of Northeast's dry spell at midweek

The stretch of dry and hot weather will be put on pause this week in the Northeast as disruptive thunderstorms drench the region on Wednesday.

There has been little or no rain for much of the Northeast since August began, but that may change for many soon, AccuWeather meteorologists say. The downpours should break the building heat wave.

Boston's last drenching rain was on Aug. 1 with 0.28 of an inch. New York's Central Park picked up 0.06 of an inch on Aug. 6. In some cases, the last rain that dampened the ground or produced puddles was in late July. Rainfall during the first 10 days of August usually ranges from 1 inch to 1.50 inches.

Amid the dry weather, people have been able to enjoy the outdoors with little concern for getting doused by downpours or chased off the beach by thunderstorms. The dry stretch, with heat of late, has been great for cutting and drying hay, harvesting corn and outdoor construction and maintenance projects.

The lack of rain, plenty of sunshine, breezes, and days of low humidity have turned lawns brown, however. Unwatered gardens and crops are showing signs of stress. Water levels on some small streams are dropping despite what was a wet end to spring and the first part of summer.

"While the sun is not as intense as that of June, it can evaporate about 0.25 of an inch of moisture from the ground on a daily basis," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Dombek said. "A breeze and dry air can increase evaporation substantially."

The region could use a thorough soaking, and some of that is ordered up on the weather charts for the middle of the week. High pressure that has stuck around for well over a week will slide off the Atlantic coast.

Part of the same storm system responsible for flash flooding in the Midwest over the weekend will slowly drift eastward Wednesday. At the same time, some moisture will join in from the Gulf and the Atlantic.

The result will be much higher humidity levels, which, in turn, should lead to an eruption of showers and thunderstorms in the region. At this time, the rain is unlikely to trigger flooding anywhere near the scope seen around Milwaukee. Rainfall in the Northeast is likely to average 0.25 to 0.50 of an inch, with a few spots picking up 1 to 1.50 inches.

A brief torrential downpour can reduce visibility and cause ponding on roads and highways. Where rain lasts more than a few minutes, some storm drains could briefly be overwhelmed.

Clouds paired with showers and thunderstorms will help to trim high temperatures in the region from midweek on, but the same moisture will result in muggier nights compared to prior days. More downpours will be possible in coastal areas of New England and much of the mid-Atlantic Thursday.

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Despite the likelihood of widespread showers and thunderstorms in the Northeast from Wednesday to Thursday, some areas may manage to avoid meaningful rainfall. The next chance of sporadic showers and thunderstorms will be over the weekend from a cool front dropping down out of eastern Canada.

As dry air advances later in the week, humidity levels and temperatures will be trimmed in the Northeast, especially over the interior and northern tier, where the heat has been the most extreme, relative to the historical average.

Flash flood risk is higher in Southeast states

In the Southeastern states, where humidity levels will be much higher and moisture more plentiful through Wednesday and into Thursday, the risk of flash flooding in urban areas and along small streams will be significantly higher, especially in areas that have received heavy rain over the past week.

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