What impacts will Dorian have on the Northeast?
On Aug. 31, the International Space Station was able to get a wonderful overhead view of the dangerous, but somehow beautiful, Hurricane Dorian.
While the northeastern United States will deal with non-tropical storm systems through midweek, at the very least, indirect impact from Dorian will continue to ramp up in coastal areas of the region.
The week will consist of a back-and-forth pattern of wet versus dry weather.
One non-tropical storm will continue to push through New England and the coastal mid-Atlantic into Monday night with drenching showers and thunderstorms.
As most people head back to work on Tuesday, high pressure will overspread the area and bring mostly sunny and dry weather conditions.
Highs on Tuesday will generally range from the lower 80s along the major cities to the 70s across the interior. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will be a notch higher, approaching the 90-degree mark in cities such as Philadelphia and New York City.
A second storm will slice through from Wednesday to Thursday with more showers and thunder.
With the main energy of this storm up in Canada, activity will be on a more isolated level when compared to Monday.
Shortly after the midweek storm swings through, it will depart in time for a generally dry day on Thursday with reduced humidity.
"While the second non-tropical storm of this week is likely to help keep the eye from Dorian from wandering northward along the mid-Atlantic coast, there will be impacts related to waves propagating northward from the distant hurricane through the week," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
Swells being generated by the distant hurricane will propagate northward. At the same time, each bubble of high pressure that moves by to the north will create a northeasterly flow of air. The combination of the two can create dangerous conditions in the surf due to large waves and frequent and strong rip currents along the mid-Atlantic and New England coasts.
Anyone hoping to partake in a final getaway at the coastal beaches will want to be extra careful when venturing into the water. Most lifeguards are no longer on duty after Labor Day.
Be sure to follow these steps if caught in a rip current.
As the end of the week approaches, all eyes will be focused on the track of Dorian.
Dorian may take a similar path to that of Tropical Rainstorm Erin from last week.
"As Dorian interacts with the non-tropical storm that will cross the Northeast Wednesday into Thursday, it should aid in the storm moving on a northeasterly path off the mid-Atlantic coast," AccuWeather Meteorologist Rob Miller said.
"However, a third storm is forecast to slice through this weekend and will either continue to kick Dorian along or perhaps pull the hurricane northward," Sosnowski said.
If the weekend storm fails to capture Dorian, it will race northeastward and out to sea. However, if the weekend storm slows its forward speed it could draw Dorian very close to Cape Cod, Massachusetts, eastern Maine, Nova Scotia or New Brunswick.
Dorian strengthened into a powerful Category 5 hurricane on Sunday as it passed over the islands of Abaco and Grand Bahama in the northern Bahamas.
It will not be this strong when passes southeast of Virginia, but it is still likely to be a formidable hurricane.
"Dorian could behave similar to a wintertime nor'easter, even if the center stays at sea," Miller said. "The rain shield with Dorian may generally impact areas along and east of the I-95 corridor."
Locations from Norfolk, Virginia; Dover, Delaware; Atlantic City, New Jersey; Islip, New York; and Plymouth, Massachusetts, are some of the cities that could face a 12- to 24-hour period of soaking rain and gusty winds.
This could disrupt some high school and college football games across the region.
"Moderate coastal flooding is possible in parts of southeastern Virginia, depending on the over size of the circulation around Dorian on Friday," Sosnowski said. "A period of above-normal tides and minor coastal flooding from southeastern Maryland to Massachusetts from late Friday to Saturday."
Meanwhile, those across the interior may be greeted with two straight days of dry weather to end the week.
With it several days away, the track of Dorian can change prior to its closest approach to the Northeast. This can result in either less rain and wind or more. Regardless, rough surf and high waves will occur.
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