- The Lehigh Valley has enjoyed only one weekend completely rain-free since the middle of August
- Forecasters say another storm system is targeting the region this weekend
- It will be a "winteresque-like" system, but too warm for snow
BETHLEHEM, Pa. — The Lehigh Valley has enjoyed only one weekend completely rain-free since the beginning of August.
On that note, you can almost guess what’s coming next.
The National Weather Service says our main weather story this week will be a powerful weekend storm that will bring more heavy rain and gusty winds to the region.
It will come as a system sweeps coast-to-coast this week, bringing rain and mountain snow to the West Coast and flooding rainfall and severe weather to the Midwest.
The Lehigh Valley and the rest of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast will feel the storm’s wrath on Saturday.
“Once the rain starts Saturday morning, if not sooner, the remainder of the day will be wet,” the latest NWS forecast discussion said.
Will it be a nor’easter?
By late day Saturday, the primary storm system will start to weaken as a secondary low-pressure system takes shape to our south.
“This low looks to then track northeast off our coast Saturday night into Sunday and does not look to be especially fast moving,” the weather service said.
“This means that rain should continue into, if not right through Sunday.
"Northeast winds may also become quite strong along the coast by Saturday night into Sunday as the low approaches and moves offshore.
"There is the potential for coastal flooding with this system due to the potentially strong onshore flow coupled with elevated tides this weekend due to the new moon.”
Expected rainfall amounts
EPAWA meteorologist Bobby Martrich called the system a “rainmaker” and agreed it will likely wash out the entire weekend.
EPAWA's 10/10 and week ahead outlook, covering:
— Bobby Martrich | EPAWA (@epawawx) October 10, 2023
■ Not quite as cool next few days as it has been
■ A breakdown of the remainder of this work week
■ Early look at the weekend rainmaker - broad timinghttps://t.co/hK5dyEiCfv
“This is coming in on Saturday during the day,” Martrich said in his latest video update, noting how the primary system will transfer to a secondary system.
“This is a very winteresque-like system,” Martrich said. “This is something in winter a few months from now … this is a Miller B system [nor’easter]. The difference is, temperatures are too warm for snow so we’re not dealing with that.”
Temperatures are expected to be in the 50s, while total rainfall amounts from the weekend system have the potential of being 1 to 2 inches, if not higher, forecasters say.
Conditions will likely remain unsettled, with chances for rain continuing through early next week.
