Tropical moisture to soak Memorial Day celebrations from DC to NYC, Boston

By Brett Rathbun, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

May 28,2016; 11:37PM,EDT

 

 

Tropical moisture will put outdoor Memorial Day plans in jeopardy from Washington D.C., to Boston on Monday.
The interaction between an approaching storm from the west and Tropical Storm Bonnie will bring a widespread threat for showers and thunderstorms to the eastern U.S.
"It does appear a system moving across the Northeast on Memorial Day will tap into some tropical moisture and pull it northward," AccuWeather Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said.

Areas from Washington, D.C, to Boston are likely to get rain and thunderstorms on Memorial Day. Those with outdoor plans should be prepared for wet conditions at any outdoor holiday celebrations.
For areas farther west, any shower and thunderstorm activity will be more spotty in nature, including Harrisburg, Pennsylvania and Binghamton, New York.
Those heading outdoors should have an umbrella and rain jacket handy and seek shelter should a thunderstorm approach the area. Use AccuWeather MinuteCast® to know exactly when a shower or thunderstorm will approach your area.
However, mainly dry conditions are expected in western Pennsylvania and New York. Those celebrating the holiday in Pittsburgh will see fairly sunny conditions with only a stray shower or thunderstorm in spots.
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High temperatures will remain seasonable despite the wet weather and clouds, reaching the 70s and 80s F across the region.
Regardless of the exact track of the center of Bonnie, tropical moisture will be pulled northward into the Northeast.

This increase in moisture will produce enhanced shower and thunderstorm activity and perhaps a flash flood threat, mainly in low-lying and poor drainage areas.
"Though it is likely not enough to cause flooding issues after Memorial Day, a soaking half an inch to an inch of rain can put a damper on any outdoor plans," Pydynowski said.
"The heaviest of the rain and the main flood threat with this tropical system should remain over the eastern Carolinas and perhaps into Virginia."
Content contributed by AccuWeather Staff Writer Katy Galimberti.