Flood Threat Increasing Across Northeast Thursday

A significant flash flood threat is expected in the Northeast on Thursday as the atmosphere transitions from the sweltering heat we've seen to start this week to a welcomed change just in time for the weekend.

Here's the bad news forecast first, followed by the good news to come.

Serious Flood Threat Could Also Bring Strong Thunderstorms

A cold front will slowly work its way across the Northeast on Thursday while interacting with the humid air that has created sweltering conditions in the first half of the week. This combination of ingredients will help generate numerous showers and storms that could deliver flooding rainfall in spots.

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Flash flooding is ongoing from Philadelphia to New York City. For the latest news and impacts, click here.

Additional localized flooding is possible where the heaviest downpours persist the longest, from southern New England to the New York tri-state area and the mid-Atlantic. Localized rainfall totals could reach as high as 4 to 6 inches.

Flood watches have been issued in these areas by the National Weather Service, including Baltimore, Hartford, New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.

The main threat today is flooding, but severe thunderstorms are also possible.

Damaging wind gusts could also accompany any storms that turn severe in the mid-Atlantic region.

More Comfy Air Will Follow

Now the good news: this weekend is shaping up to be about as pleasant as you can draw up for the first weekend of August.

Humidity will be noticeably lower as high pressure draws drier air into the region behind the cold front. As you can see from the shadings on the map below, the tropical moisture creating higher humidity will be swept out of the region, while remaining in place over the South.

High temperatures will also be several degrees below average for early August on Saturday, ranging from middle 70s in Boston to lower 80s in New York and Washington, D.C. Expect all of those cities to top out in the lower 80s Sunday, with low humidity remaining in place.

Not only that, low temperatures will be noticeably more comfortable in the morning, ranging from 50s in New England to lower or middle 60s farther south.

Chris Dolce has been a senior digital meteorologist with weather.com for 15 years after beginning his career with The Weather Channel in the early 2000s.