SHORT TERM FORECAST

TONIGHT: Becoming mostly cloudy with a few showers either side of midnight, then clearing overnight. Low: 42

FRIDAY: Sunshine mixing with afternoon clouds and a spotty shower or two; breezy and cool. High: 63

FRIDAY NIGHT: Becoming mostly cloudy.; showers possible by sunrise, especially north and west of the Lehigh Valley. Low: 45

 

FORECAST SUMMARY

After a wet Wednesday, we dried out and cleared out nicely on Thursday, enjoying a mostly sunny albeit somewhat cool early May day, with highs mostly in the low to mid 60s. A weak disturbance will clip across the northern tier of Pennsylvania and North Jersey overnight, with some light rain showers either side of midnight most focused in the Poconos and northwestern New Jersey. On Friday, a second weak disturbance may also produce some scattered showers, this time area-wide and primarily in the afternoon, as morning sunshine gives way to increasing clouds. Clouds will stay with us through the start of the weekend on Saturday, as a more widespread area of mostly light rain arrives Saturday morning, and tapers off later in the day. Mother’s Day continues to be the warmest day of an otherwise cool forecast, with sunshine to at least start the day, giving way to increasing clouds for mom on Sunday and a brief temperature spike into the 70s, if only for a day. Yet another round of showers arrives either late Sunday or more likely Sunday night and lingers into early Monday morning, followed by more reinforcing shots of cool air early next week that will likely keep our highs mostly in the 60s. None of these rainfall opportunities will deliver a soaking rain, but added altogether, rainfall amounts will approach a ½ inch to around an inch of rain through the middle of next week. 

DETAILED FORECAST

TONIGHT

After a mostly sunny day, we’ll see a period of partly to mostly cloudy skies arrive later this evening through a little after midnight, and there will be some scattered showers within those clouds. Showers will be most focused north of I-78, especially in the Poconos, but a shower or two is possible anywhere. Rainfall amounts look light and only a few hundredths of an inch for most, but areas north of I-80 could see up to a tenth of an inch. Lows will be in the low 40s, with skies trending mostly clear again after midnight as our weak disturbance passes. 

FRIDAY

Friday should start with mostly sunny skies, but clouds will increase a bit in the afternoon as a second weak disturbance slides through later in the day. There won’t be much moisture for this to work with, but it should still be able to produce a scattered shower or two in the afternoon, with rainfall amounts light (a few hundredths at most) and scattered. Highs will again be on the cooler than average side, only in the low 60s, with a bit of a westerly breeze making it feel a bit cooler. The average high for early May is in the low 70s. Clouds will increase and thicken Friday night, with a steadier area of showers on our doorstep by Saturday morning. 

SATURDAY

Saturday will offer our best opportunity for some widespread yet mostly light rain, with Saturday morning through early afternoon likely the wetter part of the day, with some late day drying and perhaps some clearing towards evening. Saturday will again be in the low 60s with the clouds and wet weather, with around a third of an inch expected, perhaps a bit more in the Poconos. Skies should become mostly clear Saturday night, setting up at least a nice start to the day for mom on Sunday. 

MOTHER’S DAY

Moms will start their big day with some well-deserved sunshine, although clouds will likely increase as the day progresses and yet another cold front with yet another chance of rain heads our way. Most of the rain should hold off until the evening and overnight hours, so most of the day looks dry, and it’s the warmest day of an otherwise cool forecast. Look for highs to be around 70-75°, dependent on how long the sun holds off the increasing afternoon clouds. More light rain is expected Sunday night into Monday morning. 

EARLY NEXT WEEK

We’ll begin the new work and school week with some clouds and lingering rain showers Monday morning, but should try to dry things and clear things out later Monday into Tuesday. But behind that latest round of showers and latest cold front awaits more cool air. So highs will likely remain around 60-65° the first half of next week, a good 10 degrees cooler than average for early to late May, when highs should be around 70-75°. 

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