Drought Relief Arriving in the Northeast This Week Thanks to Two Rounds of Soaking Rain

Portions of the Northeast have been suffering from drought conditions since the summer, but welcome rain has arrived and will continue through early Thursday, putting a dent in some of the rainfall deficits across the region.
(MAPS: Weekly Planner)
The first round of rain has arrived and will continue through Tuesday, which could be heavy at times. That umbrella and raincoat may be buried in your closet, collecting dust, but should both be put to good use Tuesday.
After a break Tuesday night, the second batch of rain arrives Wednesday, continuing into Thursday morning in parts of New England. The rain could again be heavy at times, certainly beneficial in southern New England where they remain in extreme drought conditions, the second worst category of drought.
(FORECAST: Boston | New York City | Philadelphia | Washington D.C.)

Areas in red indicate extreme drought, the second worst category of drought. Lighter colors represent less severe categories of drought.
(National Drought Mitigation Center)

Most areas in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic should receive at least an inch of rain between the two systems, with some places picking up closer to two inches. As with any soaking-rain event, there is the potential for some flooding in a few spots, but this rain will be more beneficial than anything else.
Some thunderstorms are possible within these swaths of rain, mainly across the mid-Atlantic states. This is because southerly winds will increase temperatures and dew points, adding more instability to the atmosphere.

Rainfall Outlook

Many areas of the Northeast swamped with heavy snow from Winter Storm Argos a week ago will likely see only rain this week.
Incredibly, all the snow cover from Argos will likely be gone in both Binghamton, New York (where Argos was a record all-time snowstorm), and Syracuse, New York. A whopping 22 inches of snow was reported on the ground in Syracuse on Nov. 21, while 15 inches of snow was on the ground in Binghamton on Nov. 22.

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