DELMARVA - Coastal Sussex County residents can expect a shift in the weather beginning late Wednesday through late Thursday, as unsettled conditions take hold.
After a mostly dry and comfortable Wednesday with highs in the mid to upper 70s and partly cloudy skies, overnight conditions will remain quiet under weak high pressure. Skies will feature increasing high-level clouds, with overnight lows dipping into the low to mid-50s. Winds will be light and variable.
Thursday will bring a noticeable change. As an upper-level trough strengthens and shifts eastward across the Northeast, it will drag a cold front toward the Mid-Atlantic. This front, combined with southerly winds ahead of a developing low-pressure system, will usher in warmer, more humid air to the region.
Clouds will steadily increase through the morning, and by the afternoon, scattered showers and thunderstorms may develop across the Delmarva Peninsula, including Coastal Sussex. These storms could bring brief downpours, gusty winds, and isolated lightning. Temperatures will rise into the low to mid-70s, feeling warm and muggy under the southerly breeze.
By Thursday night, a shortwave disturbance rotating around the upper-level low will move across the region. With increasing moisture levels — precipitable water values nearing 1.5 inches — showers and embedded thunderstorms are likely to become more numerous. Some of this rainfall could be moderate to heavy, especially toward areas north and west of the I-95 corridor, although Sussex County still has the potential to receive 0.5 to 1 inch of rain.
The rain and storm activity is expected to continue into early Friday before tapering off as the system gradually pulls away. Cooler air will follow the front, with Friday’s highs only reaching the 60s under lingering clouds and drizzle. Friday night will feel chilly, with lows dropping into the 40s.
Looking ahead to the weekend, sunshine and seasonable temperatures return. Highs will hover around the upper 60s to low 70s Saturday, with warmer and dry conditions expected Sunday and Monday.