Feb 28 Afternoon Update

8:25 PM: With the cold front having moved through at least most of, if not all of the area, an area of light to moderate rain is currently in eastern PA and is moving east. While most of it will stay to the south of the area, expect some occasional light to potentially moderate rain to affect at least most of the area over the next 1 to 3 hours.

Temperatures are currently steadily dropping across the area, already in the upper 30s in the interior parts of the area with lower to upper 40s in the immediate NYC area. Temperatures will continue to drop as this area of rain moves east, and it is possible that a few snow showers fall in the interior parts of the area as the storm ends.


4:45 PM: This morning, we saw a widespread area of heavy rain moving through the Northeast staying mostly north of the area, with the southern end of the first round including rain and locally heavy thunderstorms affecting the area. The second round of the storm is currently affecting the Mid Atlantic with heavy rain and strong to locally severe thunderstorms, but this round is staying mostly to the south of the area, only producing some light rain showers.

Last night, I lowered my rain forecast as it appeared that the area would be in between the two rounds. The rainfall amounts across the area so far mostly fell into this range, with totals ranging from as low as 1/4 inch in the southeastern parts of the area to as much as a widespread 3/4 inch in the northern parts of the area. The heaviest rain totals ended up near coastal southern Connecticut, where rain totals locally reached up to 1 inch. With only a few reports of 1 inch of rain, and the storm having ended for the area, I have cancelled the Rain Watch that was previously in effect.

Temperatures are currently ranging from the mid 40s in interior southern Connecticut to the lower 60s southwest of New York City. Temperatures may slightly rise in parts of the area for the short term, however for the main part the current temperatures should be near the high temperature of the day, with dropping temperatures later in the evening. Low temperatures will be cold tonight, dropping into the 20s north and west of NYC.


The next update will be posted tonight, discussing the brief return to more winter-like temperatures on Thursday with high temperatures struggling to break the 30-35 degree mark in most of the area, followed by another storm that might bring a heavy rain threat between Sunday and Monday.