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A late-season nor'easter is forecasted to bring heavy rain and strong winds to the East Coast starting Wednesday (May 21), just before the Memorial Day weekend. According to the FOX Weather Forecast Center, over 50 million people in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast face the risk of flash flooding.
The National Weather Service in Boston predicts that the nor'easter will bring "cold, windswept heavy rain" from late Wednesday into early Friday. The storm will be driven by two low-pressure systems, one inland and another forming off the coast, which will develop into a nor'easter as it moves northward near New England. The Weather Channel reports that rain totals could reach one to two inches, with higher amounts in some areas. Wind gusts of 30 to 40 mph are expected along the New England and Long Island coasts.
The storm will also bring unseasonably cold temperatures, with highs in New York City stuck in the mid-50s, nearly 20 degrees below average for late May. The fast-moving system is expected to clear out in time for most of the Northeast to enjoy the holiday weekend.
Conditions are expected to improve by Sunday (May 25) and Memorial Day, with some sunshine returning to the region.