Weekly Highlights October 6th to 11th

As we move into October, this week’s weather pattern is bringing classic signs of the seasonal transition across much of the U.S. From chilly mornings in New England to stormy skies across the East and even some snow in the Rockies, there’s a lot happening on the weather map.

In the Northeast, a noticeable chill is setting in. Some areas, particularly from the Boston metro northward into parts of Maine, could wake up to temperatures flirting with the freezing mark on Thursday into Friday. It’s not uncommon for this time of year, but it serves as a reminder that frost season is creeping closer.

The bigger story early this week is a strong cold front pushing into the eastern half of the country on Tuesday and Wednesday. Along the front expect widespread showers and thunderstorms. Some of these storms could produce heavy rain at times, especially across the Ohio Valley, Appalachians, and into the Mid-Atlantic. Fortunately, much of the East has been dealing with unusually dry conditions lately, so the ground can handle a healthy soaking without too much concern for flooding. Following the front, cooler and drier air will spread into the eastern U.S., bringing more seasonable—if not slightly below average—temperatures into the weekend. It’ll be a noticeable shift, especially for those who’ve been hanging onto the last threads of summer warmth.

Elsewhere, the Four Corners region is eyeing a potentially soggy weekend. Moisture from the remnants of a Pacific hurricane could swing into the Southwest, bringing scattered showers and even thunderstorms from Arizona to Colorado. This weekend a coastal storm could form off the Carolina’s bringing more rain and winds to the area. And up in the Northern Rockies, the transition to winter is continuing in the high country. Higher elevations could see some snow as colder air settles in this weekend. It won’t be widespread just yet, but enough to bring early-season flakes to mountaintops across Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming

By Matt K.

Meteorologist In-Training