Uncomfortable humidity, thunderstorms to make comeback in Northeast this week

Following a weekend with comfortable temperatures and low humidity, residents of the Northeast are being reminded that summer is not over quite yet with warm and wet conditions for much of the balance of this week.

After what has been an especially warm and even record-breaking summer, many people were hoping for the cool weather from this past weekend to make a comeback.

However, cool, autumnlike conditions have been put on hold for a bit.

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Now that the wind direction has become more southerly and southeasterly, warm and more humid air from the Atlantic will linger into Thursday night. Accompanying the warm and humid air will be an uptick in downpours that could cause travel trouble, especially in part of the Interstate-95 corridor.

"A southeasterly flow off of the Atlantic will usher in more moisture, bringing plenty of clouds and a surge in the humidity," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Carl Babinski.

With higher humidity, nights will also be warmer as well. Since temperatures will start the day higher, they will not have as far to go to reach above-normal levels for daytime highs. In addition, with the amount of daylight rapidly becoming less, normal temperatures are falling by about a degree every three days. Whereas temperatures in the 80s were normal just a week or two ago, the normal highs have fallen to the middle to upper 70s in many cities.

On Thursday, humidity levels will become quite high ahead of an approaching cold front from the northwest and a surge of tropical moisture from the south.

"These will lead to a series of showers and a thunderstorm or two," said Babinski.

Areas from eastern North Carolina to southern New England could be hit with enough intense and persistent downpours to lead to flash flooding. Motorists should anticipate delays anytime from Richmond, Virginia to Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia and New York City and perhaps as far north as the Boston area during the afternoon and evening hours Thursday. Some roads may be blocked by high water.

In the wake of the front, Friday looks to bring a return of fall-like conditions with temperatures near to slightly below normal and quickly-lowering humidity levels from the central Appalachians to New England and a more gradual reduction in humidity levels over the mid-Atlantic.

Saturday is also expected to be a dry day, although clouds are likely to be on the increase with humidity levels forecast to slowly climb over the central Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic region. Humidity levels should remain low over New England and northeastern New York state.

Even higher humidity and a chance of showers and thunderstorms will return ahead of the next cold front on Sunday.

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