Rain moves into Northeast, but key drought areas may miss out
While there will be some opportunities for rain coming up in the Northeast over the next week, not all areas may be drenched enough to alleviate drought and wildfire risk.
The final weekend of April is set to be a rainy one, which should provide relief after days of wildfires in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
Drenching rain will continue to move through parts of the Northeast through Saturday, AccuWeather meteorologists say. However, some areas could miss out on the heaviest rain and with dry winds expected to follow, wildfire risk may ramp up again next week.
Very light winds from Tuesday to Thursday morning gave firefighters the chance to gain significant containment on the massive Jones Road Fire tearing across New Jersey. There were other fires in the region, including a pair in south-central Pennsylvania that blossomed.
Smoke fills the sky as an inferno rages from a wildfire in Lacey Township, New Jersey, on Tuesday, April 22, 2025. (New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection via AP)
During the first part of the weekend, higher humidity levels may keep some fuels moist as a storm swings through with sporadic rainfall ranging from spotty showers to a thorough soaking.
Areas from Upstate New York to northern and central New England will likely be the greatest beneficiaries of the rain, with a general 0.50 inch to 1.50 inches in store.
Behind the rain or sporadic showers into Saturday night, winds will kick up.
"While it will be much cooler on Sunday, when compared to Friday, the gusty winds and very dry air will quickly dry out the brush and fallen leaves once again," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said. "That could boost the wildfire risk, depending how much rain fell on local areas from the storm earlier in the weekend."
Monday will likely be similar to Wednesday with light winds, sunshine and dry air. In much of New Jersey, highs will range from the mid-60s to the low 70s.
By Tuesday, however, warmth will build over the region on a quickening southwest breeze.
"Even though humidity levels are likely to rise on Tuesday, the combination of warmth, sunshine, a breeze and dry brush may lead to a rising wildfire risk," Anderson said.
Yet another storm will swing through on Tuesday night, bringing showers and thunderstorms to the Northeast. Once again, the showers could be sporadic, with some areas in the mid-Atlantic missing the rainfall.
April has brought little rain to parts of New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, southeastern New York and southern New England. In some cases, rainfall has only been 25-50% of the historical average for the month that typically brings between 3 and 4 inches.
While drought conditions are not exceptional in the Northeast, many locations are experiencing abnormally dry soil conditions. Some areas are in the throes of a moderate to severe drought, according to the United States Drought Monitor.
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