NEW YORK – A Halloween storm is brewing for much of the eastern half of the U.S. An area of low pressure will bring rain out of the Pacific Northwest and into the heartland on Tuesday and make its way east throughout the week, dampening early Halloween festivities and potentially soaking trick-or-treaters in parts of the Northeast on the night of Halloween.
In addition, a storm system that moved off the southeastern U.S. coast on Monday will linger, bringing heavy rain to the Carolinas, the southern Appalachians and parts of Virginia through Wednesday.
A very widespread area covering millions of people across the central U.S., Southeast, mid-Atlantic and Northeast could see 1-2 inches of rain by the end of the week. Fortunately for costume-wearers, storms will move fast enough for dry conditions Halloween night, except parts of the interior Northeast and New England.
The storm system that produced a Flash Flood Emergency in Florida Sunday night is now offshore but will bring moderate but consistent rain to the Carolinas, Virginia and the southern Appalachians through Wednesday morning.
North Carolina's Outer Banks, which have taken a beating this hurricane season with the collapse of 11 homes across the last several months, are once again under the threat of beach erosion. A Coastal Flood Warning covers the Outer Banks through Wednesday, while a Coastal Flood Advisory covers other parts of the state and Virginia.
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Meanwhile, the Upper Midwest and southern Plains will see moderate rain break out Tuesday. A large dip in the jet stream on Wednesday will spawn the area of low pressure that will be the main driver of this week's storm, bringing chilly temperatures and strong wind gusts in addition to the rain.
Rain spreads across the Tennessee Valley and mid-Atlantic by Wednesday. The Appalachians could see a low-end flash flood threat develop through Thursday morning, on the heels of rain from the coastal storm.
In particular, parts of western North Carolina that were devastated by Hurricane Helene last year are particularly vulnerable to flash flooding.
The rain reaches the Ohio Valley and Northeast on Thursday, including the Philadelphia and New York City metro areas.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, Thursday's rain will be enhanced by moisture from Hurricane Melissa, which will be over 1,000 miles offshore. As a result, parts of the Northeast will see 2-3 inches of rain.
Halloween night is forecast to be free of precipitation for most of the country, although rain and gusty winds could linger across the interior Northeast and New England.
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