7:00 AM | All eyes on the tropics; potential for a blockbuster event early next week in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast

6-Day Forecast

Today

Mostly cloudy, cool, some light rain or drizzle likely, mid 60’s for highs

Tonight

Mostly cloudy, mild, some drizzle and fog, mid 50’s

Thursday

Mostly cloudy, cool, still a slight chance for some light rain, near 65

Thursday Night

Mostly cloudy, mild, mid 50’s

Friday

Partly sunny, warm, low 70’s

Saturday

Partly sunny, warm, near 70

Sunday

Mostly cloudy, cooler, rain possible, low-to-mid 60’s

Monday

Mostly cloudy, even colder, threat for rain and wind, low-to-mid 50’s

Discussion

A weak frontal system will meander around the region for the next couple of days and this will help to hold in the clouds generate some occasional light rain or drizzle. By Friday, there will be a return of some sunshine, but then be turning our attention to the tropics for weather possibilities for early next week. The potential continues to exist for a major east coast weather event early next week that could, in the worst case scenario, involve hurricane-force winds, torrential rains along low-lying sections and inland higher elevation snows in the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast US (as per the European, Canadian models). The best case scenario is that this tropical system will go harmlessly out to sea over the weekend and will not phase with the deep upper level trough headed for the east coast (as per the US GFS model). Stay tuned, it may take another couple of days to have high confidence in this forecast. The main player, Tropical Storm Sandy, continues to intensify just south of the island of Jamaica. The European computer forecast model is generally the best model in the medium range when it comes to east coast storm tracks and now the GFS model is showing some signs of joining with it in the more threatening scenario.

Video

httpv://youtu.be/rYtQcR_Lvk8