DELMARVA -- Cooler air is settling in behind a cold front stalled over southern Virginia. Monday will be a noticeable shift from Sunday’s warmth, with northeast winds ushering in cooler temperatures and cloudy skies. Highs will hold in the 70s, with a few 80s under mostly cloudy skies, and winds may gust between 20 and 30 mph before easing later in the day. Areas of drizzle and light rain will be common across the region this afternoon.
By Monday night, a high-pressure system moving in from the north will reinforce the cooler pattern. Overnight lows will dip into mid 60s, with daytime highs Tuesday also staying in the low to mid 70s. The onshore flow will persist, keeping skies generally cloudy and conditions unseasonably cool, with areas of showers and drizzle.
The stalled boundary to the south will bring another round of isolated showers later Tuesday into Wednesday, and shortwave energy arriving from the west may trigger scattered showers or a few thunderstorms midweek. Temperatures will remain below seasonal averages, with highs in the low 80s on Wednesday.
Farther offshore, Hurricane Erin will not make a direct strike on Delmarva, but its impacts will still be felt. Prolonged onshore flow and long-period swells are expected to create high surf and dangerous rip currents along area beaches. Coastal flooding and beach erosion are possible as well. Wave heights will likely peak Thursday reaching 8 to 12 feet.
Looking ahead, high pressure should bring calmer and drier weather toward the end of the week with seasonable conditions returning.
