Storms to drench parts of northeastern US that have gone without rain since first week of June

By Chyna Glenn, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

June 28,2016; 10:14AM,EDT

 

A lack of rain across the Northeast has allowed abnormally dry conditions to set up; however, drenching thunderstorms arriving this week may provide some relief.
As of last week, the United States Drought Monitor had 62 percent of the Northeast in some level of drought, impacting more than 22 million people.

However, a cold front will bring some showers and thunderstorms to the region through the middle of the week.
"The rounds of showers and thunderstorms occurring early this week in the Northeast and mid-Atlantic region, particularly along the I-95 corridor, will bring some relief from the recent rainfall deficit in June," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Carl Babinski said.
Many of the major cities in the Northeast, such as Boston, Hartford, Connecticut, and Syracuse, New York, have not received more than a trace of rain since the first week of the month.
The downpours associated with the shower and thunderstorm activity along the front will provide at least some relief for most of the drought-stricken areas of the Northeast.

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However, the spotty nature of afternoon storms may leave many without any measurable rainfall.
During the month of June, many locations only received one-third of the rain that typically falls. New York City and Philadelphia remain 1.56 and 1.28 inches below normal, respectively.
Buffalo, New York, and Boston fare even worse, with rainfall 2.03 and 2.18 inches below normal, respectively.
This particular event will not bring an end to the developing drought conditions in the Northeast.
"Most will get a cumulative total of an inch or less, but many will still be running about an inch behind what a typical June brings altogether," Babinski said.
This storm system will slowly lift out of the Northeast through the middle of the week, which will keep unsettled weather in the forecast until Wednesday.
High pressure will build back into the region on Wednesday night, and dry conditions will return through the end of the week.