A soggy weather pattern will keep affecting much of the eastern half of the U.S. on Sunday, but the Memorial Day outlook is not a complete washout for the Northeast and Midwest. Wetter conditions will linger in parts of the South, while a gradual shift toward warmer and drier weather should bring at least some usable stretches for holiday plans farther north.
Flood watches are in effect from southeastern Louisiana through Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia, Tennessee and West Virginia, including Atlanta, Baton Rouge, Birmingham, New Orleans, Knoxville and Charleston. Heavy rain could add another 1 to 2 inches across a broad area from southern Louisiana to the Carolinas, with pockets of 2 to 4-plus inches possible where downpours are strongest.
Storms and delays continue Sunday
Some of the rain could come with stronger storms, bringing gusty winds and small hail in isolated spots. Travel is already being affected, with flight delays reported at airports including O’Hare International Airport in Chicago.
The Federal Aviation Administration issued a ground stop at O’Hare on Sunday morning because of thunderstorms. According to the FAA, arriving flights were averaging 44-minute delays, while departures faced delays of up to 1 hour and 45 minutes.
Indianapolis 500 faces weather risk
Thunderstorms in central Indiana could also disrupt the 110th running of the Indianapolis 500 at Indianapolis Motor Speedway. The race began around 12:45 p.m. ET, and a thunderstorm briefly suspended action during lap 106.
The National Weather Service office in Indianapolis is calling for isolated showers and thunderstorms through the afternoon. That keeps weather concerns in play for one of the biggest holiday weekend events in the Midwest.
Memorial Day brings some improvement in the Northeast
For Memorial Day, scattered rain and thunderstorms will remain in the South, but the Northeast should see better conditions develop as the day goes on. Warmer and drier air is expected to move from west to east across the region, and morning rain near the coast should clear in many areas by the afternoon.
Some sunshine could reach the I-95 corridor later in the day. Afternoon highs are forecast to return to the 70s across much of the Northeast, including Washington, D.C., and New York City.
Midwest stays mostly favorable
The Midwest looks more settled for the holiday, with mostly dry and warm conditions in place for much of the region. High temperatures are expected to reach the 80s from Chicago to Minneapolis, offering a better window for outdoor travel and gatherings than areas farther south.
A few scattered morning showers are still possible from Iowa to the western Great Lakes, but the broader pattern favors improving weather across the central part of the country. That leaves Memorial Day plans in the Midwest with less widespread disruption than the rain-soaked South.
Other regions also see mixed conditions
Across the Plains, temperatures will climb into the 90s in Montana and North Dakota. Much of the West remains warm and dry, although rain is expected to move into western Oregon and Washington by Monday afternoon, including Portland and Seattle.
After the holiday, scattered rain and thunderstorms will stay in the South into the new work week, which could create minor flight issues and slick driving conditions. The Northwest will also see clouds and showers spread inland later in the week, but the rain is not expected to become a full washout.
A warming trend is expected to continue into midweek in the Northeast, with afternoon highs near 80 degrees from New York City to Boston by Tuesday.
Read more at: abcnews.com
