An unsettled pattern, with increased humidity. But will the weekend be a washout?

BETHLEHEM, Pa. – An unsettled weather pattern will persist through next week in the Lehigh Valley, with rain ahead and humidity on the rise.

But will the weekend be a washout?

• The Lehigh Valley will see an unsettled weather pattern through the weekend
• Friday and Monday look to be the days with heavier rain potential, but the weekend will see scattered — but perhaps heavy — rain activity in some areas
• Monday's weather could be severe, though models are still working through the details

The greater potential impact with heavier showers and thunderstorms looks to be Friday and Monday, meteorologists say, with scattered storms over the weekend.

Here’s the breakdown of expected activity as the most muggy air mass so far this season pushes into the area. Check out our live camera over the weekend for a look at current activity.

Friday

Scattered showers and storms will be the story, especially near and northwest of I-95 where gusty winds and localized flooding are possible. That includes the Lehigh Valley area, where storms might train over the same location.

Models show coverage of rain will gradually increase from around the Philadelphia area southwestward through the morning, and expand across the rest of the region in the afternoon.

The greatest threat for persistent showers and storms will be later in the afternoon and early evening, waning toward midnight with reduced coverage and intensity, the National Weather Service said in its latest forecast discussion.

Saturday and Sunday

There’s a lot going on this weekend in the area, with ¡Sabor! Latin Festival taking place Friday and Saturday at SteelStacks in Bethlehem and Allentown celebrating its annual Blues, Brews, and Barbecue from noon to 10 p.m. on Saturday.

Community Calendar: Lehigh Valley Happenings

The weekend looks wet overall, but perhaps trending slightly drier, the weather service said.

EPAWA meteorologist Bobby Martrich also said in his latest video forecast “the activity won’t be everywhere.” Instead, thunderstorm and shower development will be scattered and we should even see some sun at some point. That means some areas may see heavy rain, while neighboring communities might stay dry.

The best chance for showers and storms remains during the afternoon and evening, with storm motion indicating the potential for localized flooding in poor drainage areas.

Sunday looks to potentially remain the drier day of the weekend, the weather service said, though we’re still expecting pop-up showers and storms in the afternoon.

“I think you’re kind of like 50/50 on both days,” Martrich said in his video forecast. “It’s just one of those deals where if you have a good radar app, make sure you have your phone with you so you can look at it if you have anything going on outdoors.”

Severe weather threat Monday?

Martrich described Monday as “interesting,” noting a line of showers and thunderstorms that could lead to severe weather, such as a straight-line wind damage threat.

While it’s too early for more details, the weather service also said Monday “more than any day in the extended [forecast] looks to have some severe weather potential.”

Both Martrich and the weather service cautioned there are still differences in the model guidance, while Monday looks to be the warmest day with temperatures getting into the mid to upper 80s with the potential for some spots in the region to hit 90 degrees.