New storm to usher in rain, then much colder air with wind in East
It will be a stormy end to October in the eastern United States, and the drenching rain will be followed by a long-lasting burst of chilly air. Some snow may even fly over the northern mountains.
Flooding downpours may fall from the Carolinas to New England the day before Halloween.
Soon after a nor'easter exited the middle portion of the Atlantic coast Tuesday night, a new storm will continue to swing toward the Appalachians into Thursday, spreading rain through much of the Northeast and ushering in the coldest air of the season so far for many and the first snowfall for some.
Latest round of rough surf eroded East Coast beaches
Through midweek, onshore winds worked to erode Atlantic beaches as a small nor'easter exited south of New England.
While the storm's rain was largely confined to the Southeastern states and resulted in flash flooding in parts of Florida, a broad zone of northeast winds has once again unleashed rough surf and beach erosion on areas that have not fully recovered from prior storms in the mid-Atlantic during the summer and early autumn.
Typically, winds would flip around to the west and northwest in the wake of the storm throughout the Eastern Seaboard. That will not be the case this time as a new storm swings in from the Mississippi Valley and makes a northward turn over the Appalachians into Thursday.
Because this storm will track well inland over the Appalachians, it will not be considered a nor'easter. Winds will generally be from the east and southeast, but it will create onshore winds that will continue the erosive impacts on the beaches from the Carolinas to New England.
The wind's effects on the water will lead to coastal flooding at high tide from Virginia to Maine.
Rain is needed, but travel problems will increase
Much-needed rain will fall from portions of Kentucky, Tennessee and North Carolina to Maine as the storm moves along. A general 1-2 inches of rain is forecast to fall, with local amounts to 4 inches possible.
Much of the region is experiencing short-term and long-term drought conditions. The rain will help to ease the risk of wildfires and provide some drought relief.
The combination of fallen leaves and wet conditions will make for extra-slick road conditions. Where fallen leaves block storm drains, street flooding can occur.
As the storm lifts northward, a pocket of just enough warm and humid air will develop to produce thunderstorms in parts of eastern Virginia, eastern North Carolina, Delmarva and southern New Jersey on Thursday. A small number of these storms may be severe with gusty winds and torrential downpours.
The combination of drenching rain and gusty winds will slow motorists on the highways and can lead to airline delays in a busy corridor from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, New York City, and Boston.
During Thursday night, the bulk of the storm's drenching rain and onshore winds will focus on New England.
Colder air to follow storm, may catch tail end of rain with snow
"In the higher terrain of the Appalachians, Adirondacks, Green and White Mountains, there will be some snow flurries as a chilly fall air invades the region during the latter part of the week," AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyssa Glenny said.
In an extreme scenario, cold air may rush into the strengthening storm as it moves over Atlantic Canada. Several inches of snow may fall on the higher terrain from northeastern New York to northern Maine, as well as southeastern Quebec, beginning as early as Thursday night.
A stripe of accumulating snow is most likely to occur in sparsely populated areas of central and northeastern Quebec from Friday to Saturday. During this time, Melissa may be closeby offshore of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.
Gusts between 30 and 40 miles per hour will be common by the end of the week, making for brisk trick-or-treating weather. Those heading outdoors to participate in Halloween activities are urged to wear several layers.
AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will be in the 10s and 20s from the Appalachians to the Midwest on Halloween as darkness falls. East of the Appalachians, AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will be mainly in the 40s and can dip into the 30s at times.
"The weather pattern for the second half of the week and into the weekend will bring the chilliest nights and coolest days for much of the Southeast states since early April and late March," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Houk.
Some rural areas in the lower part of the Tennessee Valley, the lower Mississippi Valley, and the interior Southeast may experience a bit of frost on the coldest nights in the pattern.
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