Travel along busy I-95 corridor to be slowed by torrential rain, thunderstorms from mid-Atlantic to Northeast

NEW YORK – Millions of people in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast are bracing for a stretch of gloomy days as we kick off the new workweek thanks to a surge of tropical moisture that will funnel rounds of heavy rain and thunderstorms into the region that could impact travel at major airport hubs.

The rounds of heavy precipitation and thunderstorms are due to a strengthening Bermuda High parked off the East Coast in the Atlantic Ocean. That same system is responsible for pushing heavy rain and storms across the southern U.S., including areas of Texas hit hard by Hurricane Beryl earlier this month.

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Severe weather could slam mid-Atlantic on Monday

A warm front located along the leading edge of the return of humid air will be the focus for rain and thunderstorm activity on Monday.

The FOX Forecast Center said strong to severe thunderstorms will gradually begin to develop during the day on Monday, initially firing up across portions of the mid-Atlantic during the afternoon hours.

The severe weather risk there isn’t high, but it’s not out of the question.

NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center (SPC) placed areas of North Carolina, Virginia, Maryland and Delaware in a Level 1 out of 5 risk of severe weather on its 5-point severe thunderstorm risk scale.

This includes cities like Raleigh and Kill Devil Hills in North Carolina, Norfolk and Richmond in Virginia and Salisbury in Maryland.

Thunderstorms that develop on Monday could be capable of producing damaging wind gusts and possible tornadoes.

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Thunderstorms will then spread into the Northeast by Monday evening, and recent computer models show that the Washington and Baltimore areas are also at risk of rain and thunderstorms later on Monday.

The heavy rain in the mid-Atlantic could lead to flash flooding, and the National Weather Service has issued Flood Watches across the region from eastern North Carolina to southeastern Virginia.

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Several inches of rain could fall over the next five days, with areas closer to the coast seeing lower amounts of 1-2 inches, while interior portions of the Carolinas and southern Virginia could potentially pick up 3-5 inches of rain with locally higher amounts.

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Heavy rain, storms push into Northeast, New England later this week

The exclusive FOX Model Futuretrack shows heavy rain and thunderstorms across the mid-Atlantic, Northeast and New England this week.

(FOX Weather)

The FOX Forecast Center said there will be a lull in precipitation on Tuesday as the heavier rain and stronger storms push into New England as nothing more than some showers with a few downpours, leaving cities like New York City and Philadelphia mostly rain-free.

However, the next round of widespread rain and thunderstorms will move into the region Tuesday night and impact the Northeast and New England on Wednesday.

The FOX Forecast Center said there is still some uncertainty about how far inland the rain will spread or whether the activity will remain mostly along the coast.

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But where it does rain, you can expect periods of downpours and thunderstorms that could produce dangerous lightning and some flash flooding.

A cold front will then sweep into the region from Canada on Thursday, firing up one last round of rain and thunderstorms before dry air returns to close out the current workweek.