Showers, storms to disrupt outdoor activities in northeastern US late this week, this weekend

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

While neither picture-perfect weather or a total washout is the cards for the northeastern United States later this week and into this weekend, there will likely be some showers and thunderstorm to dodge with your outdoor plans.

"Following the surge of humidity and areas of rain and thunderstorms into Tuesday night, humidity levels will drop a bit across New England and parts of the central Appalachians and the upper mid-Atlantic from Wednesday to Thursday," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Dombek.

"Humidity levels will stay rather high over the lower part of the mid-Atlantic and will inch back up elsewhere across the region late this week and this weekend," Dombek said.

The drier air across part of the region will suppress shower and thunderstorm activity across New England, New York state, much of Pennsylvania, northeastern Ohio and New Jersey on Wednesday.

Showers and storms will linger over much of Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Delaware and the New Jersey cape.

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On Thursday, a weak storm system moving in from the west will tug on the southern moisture enough to spread showers and spotty thunderstorms farther to the north.

While much of the mid-Atlantic states are likely to turn unsettled, dry weather and some sunshine may hold over much of New England on Thursday.

A series of weak disturbances will swing through from Friday to Sunday. During this time frame, humidity levels across the region are likely to be in the moderate range across the north and rather high across the south.

Because these systems will be weak, determining the timing and location of the batches of showers and thunderstorms that develop beyond 12 hours will be a challenge.

There is the risk of random pop-up showers and thunderstorms each day to end the week and this weekend.

It is possible that rain will fall for up to a few hours each day in the rainiest spots. However, some locations may not receive much more than a brief shower.

A weather pattern such as this does not warrant altering outdoor plans but rather be vigilant for episodes of rainfall in the short-term.

Fans heading to baseball games or picnics may have to wait out a shower or thunderstorm and should have a plastic poncho as a precaution.

Be sure to seek shelter indoors at the first rumble of thunder. If you can hear thunder, you are at risk for being struck by lightning.

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Generally, it rains much less often at the beach, when compared to areas a few miles inland during the summer. This is due to the protection a sea breeze offers. As the sea breeze diminishes in the evening, showers and thunderstorms tend to wander to the coast.

Temperatures are forecast to trend upward this weekend, despite the weak storm systems drifting through the region.

"High temperatures along much of the Interstate 95 cities are likely to approach the 90-degree Fahrenheit mark in Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C., this weekend," Dombek said.

Highs are likely to be within a few degrees of average across the region and when combined with anticipated humidity levels, it will feel like a typical August weekend in the Northeast.

Average highs will range from the upper 70s to near 80 across the northern tier to near 90 in southeastern Virginia.

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