Weather

A lull in the recent pattern of drenching downpours and flooding will continue Thursday in much of the Northeast. Sunshine will provide much warmer conditions than the past few days. Downpours will increase the risk of isolated flash and urban flooding from the southern Plains to the middle Mississippi and Ohio Valleys. Gusty storms across this area may down trees in some spots.

The downpours are expected to reach the western slopes of the Appalachians at night. This will result in isolated flooding in the Appalachians and along the East Coast by the end of the week. A few heavy storms are also projected to develop over the Deep South and along the Carolina coast.

Severe thunderstorms might affect parts of Nebraska and Kansas, bringing possible flash flooding and strong gusts. A few storms are expected to dot the Rockies and the Desert Southwest. Many of these storms may bring little rain and lightning strikes, which could spark wildfires. Fire weather, with heat and dry conditions, will continue to prevail over much of the West. Some cooler air is projected to push inland along the Northwest coast.

FOCUS: Downpours in the Northeast

Rain and thunderstorms will again affect the Northeast on Friday, with wet weather expected from the Great Lakes to the East Coast. While drought-stricken areas of northern New England will welcome the downpours, in many other areas the rain will result in flash flooding.