Easter Sunday 2019: Who gets rain, who stays dry in the US?

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

While dry, warm and tranquil conditions are in store for a large part of the nation on Easter Sunday, there will be some areas that have to deal with showers and cool weather.

Following severe weather in recent days, much of the southern United States can expect sunshine with a warm afternoon.

Residents and visitors in parts of New Mexico and western Texas are reminded that due to the dry and breezy conditions, the use of outdoor grills and power equipment should be avoided this weekend, as there is an elevated risk of wild fire ignition.

Most areas from California to Nevada, Oregon and Washington can expect dry weather. Heat will ease up a bit over the deserts on Sunday, compared to Saturday.

The same storm that brought severe weather to the East on Friday will slowly leave the Northeast on Easter Sunday.

While the sun may be out for a time in New England, the mid-Atlantic and the Appalachians, chilly air aloft is likely to cause the sky to turn angry with showers forecast to develop.

The weather in the Northeast may make it difficult for outdoor plans, such as Easter egg hunts, picnics and outdoor church services. Any one spot may be hit by multiple showers from the midday into the evening.

By the afternoon, a mosaic of showers and embedded thunderstorms are likely over the region. A few locations may even get a gusty thundershower with small hail. Pockets of steady rain may evolve as well.

Farther west, another broad area of clouds and showers is in store along a 1,500-mile-long swath from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan to portions of Wyoming, Colorado, Montana, Idaho and Wyoming.

The showers may pester those taking to the outdoors in the Rockies, including those with skiing, hiking and fishing on their mind.

Over the high country of the Rockies and Wasatch Range, some snow will fall.

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Given the time of the year, those venturing outdoors should keep their eyes open for possible thunderstorms over the mountains. People should stay off the ridges in this situation.

South of the frequent shower zone over the Central and Western states, a few thunderstorms may develop and become heavy and gusty in nature over parts of Kansas late Sunday.

Those heading home on the highways at the end of their holiday weekend may face rainy and slow conditions on the highways in the Northeast and parts of the Upper Midwest, Plains and Rockies.

As for the annual White House Easter Egg Roll on Easter Monday, sunshine and warmer conditions are expected in Washington, D.C., with temperatures starting the day in the 50s F and rising into the 70s in the afternoon under sunshine.