When will it rain again?

Drought expands

All of Delmarva is now experiencing some level of drought. Much of Delaware is in severe drought while areas on the lower shore of Maryland have entered into moderate drought. The risk for brush fires across the area is high, prompting an increase in local burn bans in many counties.

Dry cold fronts

October has featured several bouts of cool, fall air. But as each cold front has crossed thru the mid-Atlantic, the lack of concentrated moisture in the lower levels of the atmosphere has hindered meaningful precipitation development east of the mountains. Instead, a conveyor belt of cool and exceptionally dry air has continually funneled south from Canada,

When will it rain again?

The short answer is next month! We will close out October with sunny days. The long answer is a little more complex, but includes some hope that a slow, but significant shift in the weather pattern will begin to unfold in the first full week of November. Above average precipitation trends have been increasing west of the mountains in the past several days, and the trend for wetter weather is expected to push to the coast after next weekend. This will likely be the result of a few factors, including an increase in mid-level disturbances and a greater influx of gulf moisture transported north. An additional “wild card” will be any potential late-season tropical system that helps supply additional tropical moisture into the mix.