A stormy Memorial Day weekend is forecast for much of the U.S., with AccuWeather and the National Weather Prediction Center warning of thunderstorms, heavy rain, and potential flash flooding from Texas to the Ohio Valley and toward the Northeast.
For millions of Americans heading out for Memorial Day weekend. the forecast isn’t just a backdrop—it’s a potential spoiler. Multiple forecasters are warning that heavy rain and thunderstorms could disrupt plans across a wide stretch of the country. with flood risk rising in places already vulnerable to runoff.
In an online forecast. AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said people trying to enjoy Memorial Day weekend activities “may face thunderstorms. heavy rain and flash flooding from Texas to New England.” The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Weather Prediction Center is pointing to the same broad pattern. saying “an unsettled weather pattern is expected to be in place across much of the south-central U.S. through the end of the week and into the upcoming weekend, with multiple rounds of showers and thunderstorms expected.”.
The storms aren’t uniform. Much of the Rockies, the Pacific Coast and far Southeast should remain mostly dry, according to AccuWeather. But the threat from Texas eastward is specific: the Weather Prediction Center expects heavy rain going into the end of the work week from central Texas to the Ohio Valley. with the heaviest totals across east-central Texas this weekend as multiple storm systems move through and potentially affect the same areas.
For Texans trying to make weekend plans, the forecast includes repeated hits rather than a single downpour. Over several days, a few inches of rain are expected across parts of Texas, western Tennessee and Kentucky, AccuWeather said. Widespread rainfall totals of 1-4 inches are likely, with localized amounts exceeding 6 inches.
“There’s enough uncertainty and enough repetition in the forecast to treat it like a moving target. ” said Sosnowski. urging residents and travelers from central and northeastern Texas to West Virginia to keep rain gear nearby. He warned that repeated showers and thunderstorms may cause lightning delays for outdoor events.
Houston. in particular. is carrying a clearer warning from federal forecasters about what heavy rain could do once it runs off into waterways. The National Weather Service said, “this rainfall will generate runoff and cause rises on area rivers and watersheds…. [We] cannot entirely rule out moderate to isolated major stage flooding depending on where the most rainfall accumulates.”.
In Houston, “major stage flooding” is defined by conditions where bayous or rivers are well out of their banks—flooding large neighborhoods rather than only low spots or streets.
Under the same umbrella of risk. meteorologists are also stressing that rain may help dryness in parts of the country even as it creates danger in others. While forecasters say much of the rainfall will ease drought conditions. AccuWeather senior meteorologist Brett Anderson cautioned that “some areas will receive multiple rounds of heavy downpours that could trigger flash flooding.”.
As the week moves toward the holiday. the Northeast faces a different kind of disruption: not the promise of storms. but the return of cooler. cloudy weather. After a warm start. Fox Weather reported that temperatures in the Northeast will fall back into conditions more reminiscent of early spring. with highs in the 60s through the holiday weekend.
A cool, cloudy pattern is also expected later this week into the weekend. The National Weather Prediction Center said that a “cold air damming” type event will likely set up east of the Appalachians with overcast skies and periods of mainly light rain at times to close out the work week. It also noted warm and humid conditions continuing south of the boundary.
Still, not all regions will feel the same pressure. From Saturday through Monday. the best conditions are forecast for the Southwest. where sunshine is expected to dominate most days. AccuWeather said. Cooler weather with scattered showers is expected across parts of the Pacific Northwest on Memorial Day.
And while the Plains aren’t described as the weekend’s “best” region, there is another shift coming there on Monday. AccuWeather’s Anderson said a “significant warmup is expected across the northern Plains on Monday.”
Taken together, the forecast draws a map of uneven weather: storm threats centered on parts of the south-central U.S. and eastward into the Ohio Valley and toward New England. colder conditions for much of the Northeast. and clearer skies holding in the Southwest—an uneven setup that could force travelers to rethink timing even if they don’t change destinations.
Memorial Day weekend forecast thunderstorms heavy rain flash flooding AccuWeather NOAA Weather Prediction Center Houston flooding Texas weather