An unsettled weather pattern is setting up across the Mid-Atlantic this week, bringing several opportunities for rain to the Delmarva Peninsula through the weekend. While areas to our north may deal with some wintry precipitation at times, the setup locally favors mainly rain events for Delaware and Maryland’s Eastern Shore.
Wednesday: Light Rain, Mainly North
The first system arrives Wednesday into Wednesday night as a warm front lifts northward ahead of low pressure tracking through the Midwest.
For Delmarva, this looks to be a primarily light rain event. Current trends show the steadiest rainfall staying north of our area, with southern Delaware potentially seeing little to no measurable rain. Most locations across Delmarva should see under a tenth of an inch, though a few spots could pick up slightly more if the rain shield trends farther south.
Overall, this is not expected to be a high-impact system. However, any rainfall will be beneficial as parts of the region continue to deal with ongoing drought conditions.
Thursday: Cooler With Spotty Showers Possible
Behind Wednesday’s warm front, a backdoor cold front may slide southward late Wednesday into Thursday. This front will usher in a cooler maritime air mass from the north or northeast.
If the boundary settles close enough to Delmarva, some areas could see patchy drizzle or light showers Thursday. Confidence in exact placement remains moderate, so coverage and amounts look limited at this time.
Friday Into Saturday: Another Round of Rain
Another low pressure system is expected to move in late Friday into Saturday. As of now, this system also appears to favor rain for Delmarva.
While slightly cooler air will be in place compared to midweek, temperatures across the peninsula are expected to remain warm enough to support mostly liquid precipitation. At this time, wintry precipitation concerns remain confined well to our north and do not appear to be a factor locally.
Rainfall amounts will depend on the eventual track and timing of the system, but there is at least some potential for moderate rainfall if the storm strengthens or slows.
Late Weekend: Watching a Potentially Stronger Storm
Attention then turns to another possible system toward the end of the weekend. Of all the upcoming disturbances, this one carries the greatest uncertainty and the widest range of possible outcomes.
Forecast guidance shows everything from a storm tracking well offshore with minimal impact, to a more organized system bringing steadier precipitation to the region. It is still too early to determine specifics, including rainfall amounts or any other impacts.
At this point, the late weekend system remains in the monitoring phase, and forecast details will likely evolve over the coming days. But with the way weather models have been handling the last several storm systems, it’s hard to put faith in one single solution.
