As Ophelia slowly departs, dry weather to finally return to the Northeast

After residents across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic have dealt with a multiday stretch of wet and dreary weather from Ophelia, some good news is in sight. AccuWeather meteorologists say that conditions will finally dry out in the coming days for those still dealing with the rainstorm's wet weather.

Ophelia definitely made its presence felt across the Northeast this past weekend and on Monday with steady rain, a bone-chilling northeast breeze and temperatures that fell well below historical averages.

This image capturing much of the northeastern United States shows extensive cloud cover on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023. The center of Tropical Rainstorm Ophelia was moving off the coast of New Jersey (center). (AccuWeather Enhanced RealView™ Satellite)

Rainfall amounts from Ophelia have tallied well over 2 inches in New York City and many other cities across the Northeast in recent days, and many may be wondering when there will be a break from wet weather. One final day of lingering rain and drizzle can be expected during the day on Tuesday, but there is a glimmer of hope heading into midweek.

An area of high pressure is set to sink southward from Canada and settle into New England by midweek, which will effectively shut down rain chances on Wednesday. In addition to the return of dry weather, peaks of sunshine will finally return to the forecast.

A taste of fall will definitely be in the air as a cool northeast breeze will keep afternoon high temperatures in the 60s and lower 70s F in many locations across the Northeast at midweek. Overnight low temperatures will have many keeping jackets on hand, with 40s and 50s becoming commonplace.

Despite the return of dry weather, there will still be hazardous conditions to be mindful of for residents and visitors of the Atlantic coast. The same area of high pressure that will promote dry weather across the region will also play a role in keeping a blustery northeast wind in place along area beaches.

Days and days of onshore winds have already led to beach erosion from Long Island to the Outer Banks, and similar conditions are expected to persist through much of the week. In some towns that were pounded by Ophelia's strong winds and heavy rain over the weekend, additional rounds of tidal flooding are possible this week.

The dry conditions are not expected to last for very long across the Northeast, as a slow-moving storm will approach beginning on Thursday. As this storm slowly pivots through the region, cloudy skies, showers and a return of dreary conditions for some can last into Friday.

This can bring a renewed chance for rain to places like Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and New York City late in the week.

Looking ahead to the weekend, rain should clear out in most cities inland from the Atlantic coast by Saturday and high pressure is expected to return, which can bring along perfect conditions for outdoor fall activities, AccuWeather forecasters say.

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