Late-week Northeast storm to pack rain, mountain snow and coastal flooding

Yahoo

09-04-2025

After delivering brief showers and gusty thunderstorms to hard-hit flood areas in the Midwest, a storm will swing toward the Atlantic coast late this week and cause travel problems related to cold rain, high-elevation snow and raw winds near the coast that will raise tide levels, AccuWeather meteorologists advise.
Following a weaker system that is forecast to bring showers of rain and wet snow to the region on Thursday, the late-week storm will have significant impacts more typical for late February or early March rather than the middle of April.
Showers of rain and wet snow will precede the main storm on Thursday.
Soaking rain, travel delays from the storm
Rain from the main storm will spread over the mid-Atlantic region, from the Carolinas to West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland on Friday, then slowly pivot over the rest of the mid-Atlantic and much of New England during Friday night and Saturday.
"It looks like a general 1-2 inches of rain will fall on much of the Northeast with local amounts to near 3 inches," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Dombek said. "The heaviest amounts will extend roughly from Virginia to southern New England."
Enough rain can pour down to cause urban flooding in some neighborhoods. The combination of rain, ponding and poor visibility can lead to hazardous conditions on the highways. Drenching rain, fog and low clouds and even thunderstorm activity may trigger airline delays at the airports.Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+
The rain will be beneficial from a spring wildfire and dry brush standpoint. It will help with greenup and thoroughly soak the remaining dry brush in the region. Even though rain has been plentiful in recent weeks and months, there is a long-term deficit that had its roots in last summer and autumn.
Coastal flooding risk
The slow-moving storm will create an extended period of onshore winds from the upper mid-Atlantic to New England.
"In areas from near New Jersey and New York City to central New England and Boston, east to northeast breezes will last around 48 hours or so mainly from Thursday night to Saturday afternoon," Dombek said. "The duration of the onshore wind and the upcoming full moon (April 12) close to the same time will lead to coastal flooding at times of high tide."
Tides are expected to run 1-3 feet above the already elevated astronomical levels. Few coastal flooding events have occurred since the winter, so coastal flooding can potentially sneak up on some communities.
Snow to fall, accumulate in higher elevations
Much like an early-March storm, this one will bring some snow to the region. However, most of that will be confined to the ridges, plateaus and peaks from the southern Appalachians to northern New England.
"It looks like at around 1,800 feet or so, wet snow will mix in with the rain soon after it begins on Friday and Friday night," Dombek said. "But depending on the storm intensity and track, beginning somewhere from 2,500 to 3,000 feet, there can be a few inches to a heavy accumulation of wet snow."
Typically, it has to snow hard during the day to accumulate on roads during the middle of April. Even light to moderate snow that falls at night or first thing in the morning can temporarily bring slippery conditions.
This snow accumulation risk will extend from the Smoky Mountains of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee to the Alleghenies, Poconos, Catskills, Berkshires, Adirondacks, Greens and Whites.
While most major roads are at elevations below the critical elevation for this storm, some high-elevation sections can become slushy and snow-covered.
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