DELMARVA - Friday morning will start quietly, with partly sunny skies and mild temperatures as high pressure moves offshore. Winds will shift to an easterly direction, bringing slightly warmer air into the region. Afternoon highs are expected to climb into the upper 60s to low 70s, a few degrees warmer than Thursday.
By Friday night, cloud cover will continue to thicken as a coastal low begins developing to the south. While conditions will remain mostly dry, increasing clouds and onshore winds will signal the approach of unsettled weather. The overnight period should stay above freezing, eliminating frost or freeze concerns.
Saturday will feature mostly cloudy to overcast skies across Sussex County, with highs again in the upper 60s to low 70s. The first half of the day is expected to remain largely dry, but rain chances will climb through the afternoon, especially along the coastal plain.
Winds from the east will also begin to strengthen, becoming breezy by late afternoon as the developing storm edges closer. Rain will become more widespread by evening, with a 60% to 80% chance of precipitation across the county by Saturday night.
By late Saturday night and into early Sunday morning, rain is expected to overspread the region, with the heaviest amounts focused over lower Delmarva and the Delaware coast. Rainfall rates should stay below a quarter inch per hour, but steady precipitation could lead to ponding on roads and minor flooding in low-lying areas.
Winds will continue to strengthen overnight, with gusts near 40 to 50 mph possible along the immediate coastline by daybreak Sunday. Marine conditions will become increasingly dangerous, and beach erosion and minor coastal flooding may begin as water piles up along the shore.
The most significant impacts from the storm — including heavy rain, strong winds, and possible coastal flooding — are expected to arrive later Sunday and continue into early next week.