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WEATHER BLOG: Drought-Busting Rains

1.5-2.5" probable arriving as major Nor'easter wallops the region later Sunday and Sunday night. Heavy rain will produce flooding and high winds will likely result in power outages.

Rain totals since Jan. 1/ Feb. 1/Mar. 1 = 6.95"/4.45"/2.03"

Specific Impacts
1. Flooding of streams, creeks and places of poor drainage.
2. High winds may bring down tree limbs, power lines leading to power outages.
Timing:
- Rain: Begins early Sunday morning, ends by 1 a.m. Monday.
- Heaviest rain: 6 p.m. Sunday - 11 p.m. Sunday
- Strongest winds: Around 4-8 p.m. Sunday... peak gusts 40-50 mph .. but 65 exposed coastal locations

Cold front accompanied by showers crossed region Saturday night, bringing 0.05" on Saturday.

Disturbances in 2 separate branches of the jet stream, each of which brought severe weather (one in the Midwest and one in Florida) will merge and cause a powerful storm to spin-up along the Mid-Atlantic coast. The Nor'easter will move from the Outer Banks Sunday morning to the DelMarva Peninsula Sunday evening. As a result, rain will overspread the area and continue into the early evening. The rain will turn heavy and lead to local flooding, with 1.5- 2.5" expected to fall in about a 12-hour period. High winds will also accompany the monster storm, which will lead to coastal flooding and a few power outages.

The heavy/steady rain will end before daybreak Monday, but gusty winds will persist into the day (sustained 15-25, gusts to near 40 mph).

Remainder of the week:
Tuesday: breezy, cool, clouds, a passing shower.
Wednesday: Partly cloudy, not as cool. Fast-moving disturbance may bring showers at night.
Thursday: Maybe an early shower, then sunshine
Friday-Saturday: Sunshine, breezy, cooler

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