Blog Article
Severe Weather Threatens East Coast Events This Weekend
A massive storm system is causing rain delays at Wrigley Field and bringing a severe 75 mph wind threat to outdoor events across the Mid-Atlantic.
Why Rain Delays at Wrigley Are Just the Start of This Weekend's Weather Headaches
Get this, y'all. If you hopped online this afternoon, you probably saw "Cubs game" trending. The Giants and Cubs got delayed by rain at Wrigley Field. Baseball fans are annoyed, but that rain in Chicago is just the western edge of a much bigger and much angrier storm system.
We have a lot of outdoor events happening this weekend. The Governors Ball is going on in Queens. The Belmont Stakes festival is wrapping up in upstate New York. Unfortunately, the atmosphere does not care about your concert tickets or your tailgate plans.
Crashing the Party Out East
The Storm Prediction Center has an Enhanced Risk for severe storms over the Mid-Atlantic tonight. That includes Philadelphia, Newark, and Jersey City. New York City is sitting right next door in a Slight Risk.
Here is the main concern. We are not just talking about a quick downpour to cool off an 80-degree afternoon. The data shows a 45 percent probability of damaging winds for parts of the Mid-Atlantic. That is a Level 4 out of 5 risk for wind. Inside that zone, we have a hatched area where wind gusts could exceed 75 mph.
Think about what a 75 mph wind gust does to a festival tent or a pop-up canopy. It is incredibly dangerous. If severe storms form in this environment, they will pack a serious punch.
These storms are firing up because a cold front is crashing into a very hot and humid airmass. The heat provides the fuel, and the front provides the spark. Once these storms get going, they are expected to organize and push eastward, bringing a wall of wind with them.
Flash Flooding in the Ozarks
While the East Coast deals with wind, the Mid-Mississippi Valley is dealing with water. The Weather Prediction Center has a Slight Risk for excessive rainfall covering the Ozarks and parts of the Tennessee Valley tonight and tomorrow.
We have a plume of deep tropical moisture surging northward. Storms are going to develop, and they are going to move slowly. When heavy rain falls on ground that is already completely saturated from a wet week, flash flooding happens fast. We are looking at the potential for local rainfall totals to reach 5 to 7 inches in some spots. If you live near a creek or a low water crossing in Arkansas or Missouri, you need to pay close attention to the water levels tonight.
A Quick Look Up
I want to leave you with one cool piece of news. We are currently experiencing G1 to G2 geomagnetic storming. A coronal mass ejection hit Earth's magnetic field early today.
If you live in the northern tier of the United States and you actually get a break in these clouds tonight, look up. You might catch a glimpse of the aurora. The solar activity is expected to remain active through Monday, so we will keep an eye out for more flares.
If you are waiting out a rain delay in Chicago, or if you are keeping a close eye on the sky in Philly, have a way to get warnings tonight. Secure your outdoor furniture and have a solid backup plan for tomorrow's events. We will keep watching the data.