October is set to begin on a soggy note, with tropical moisture streaming in from the Pacific, Caribbean and Gulf of America expected to trigger repeated rounds of heavy rain across parts of the East starting Friday.
As an upper-level trough draws that moisture farther inland, the atmospheric pattern could support several days of showers and thunderstorms.
The FOX Forecast Center warns that the setup may create a week-long flood threat. Successive rounds of downpours could saturate the ground and heighten the potential for flash flooding in vulnerable areas.
As the moisture plume pushes northward, it will collide with a strong area of high pressure, setting the stage for another dynamic rainfall event.
“The highest rain totals through Monday will be across Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Georgia, where a widespread 2-3 inches is likely,” the FOX Forecast Center said. “Totals of 3-5 inches or more are most likely across southern Louisiana and Mississippi.”
The sharp change in weather will place millions of Americans under the threat of tropical downpours this weekend.
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The affected zone could extend from the Gulf Coast through the Ohio Valley and possibly into the Northeast, raising concerns about flash flooding along the way.
Given the developing pattern, a level 2 out of 4 flash flood risk has been issued for Saturday and Sunday across Louisiana, Mississippi and Alabama.
Cities including New Orleans and Atlanta could receive roughly 3 to 5 inches of rain.
For the Northeast, however, mostly dry conditions are expected to continue following last week’s damaging nor’easter. A high-pressure system should keep the heaviest rain focused across the Southern U.S.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, Sunday will bring the best chance for showers in areas recently affected by the nor’easter.
Annapolis, Maryland, and other locations in the Northeast are under a Coastal Flood Advisory as storms begin to take shape.
The deep moisture spreading across the East is expected to linger into early next week as a broad plume continues to surge north from the Gulf.
