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Cold Front Brings Heavy Rain to East Coast and Late-Season Snow to Central Rockies
A large cold front extending from Maine to Texas has produced heavy rain across much of the eastern and central United States and a rare May snowstorm in the Central Rockies. The system has already dropped more than 20 inches of snow at higher elevations and triggered severe thunderstorm risks in parts of the South. Temperatures are forecast to fall well below average in the wake of the front.
May 6, 10:40 AM·2m read1 source
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A large cold front stretching from Maine to Texas has brought widespread heavy rain to much of the eastern and central United States while producing a rare May snowstorm across the Central Rockies. The front pushed a swath of heavy rain from Arkansas to upstate New York early Wednesday, with the precipitation expected to reach much of the East Coast later in the day.
Some of those storms across the South could develop into severe thunderstorms later Wednesday morning, with a more significant threat developing Wednesday evening. More than 20 inches of snow have already fallen at higher elevations in the Central Rockies.
The main threats will be supercell thunderstorms capable of producing large hail and tornadoes beginning early Wednesday evening. A widespread 2 to 3 inches of rain could fall across Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and Tennessee through Friday. The rainfall is expected to provide drought relief for much of the region, particularly southern Georgia which is experiencing extreme drought.
Heavy rain was ongoing early Wednesday across the Ohio Valley and into upstate New York. Downpours will reach the entire northeastern portion of the Interstate 95 corridor by Wednesday afternoon, with a half-inch to an inch of rain possible for Boston, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. The rain is also expected to benefit much of the Northeast coast where drought conditions have been increasing.
Showers are forecast to clear overnight Thursday, with temperatures dropping 5 to 10 degrees below average across the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic through the weekend.
