DELMARVA - Thursday will begin quietly for coastal communities in Sussex County, including Rehoboth Beach, Bethany Beach, and Fenwick Island. Temperatures in the early morning hours will be in the upper 40s to low 50s under mostly clear skies. However, changes are on the horizon as the weather pattern shifts.
Through Thursday morning and into the afternoon, clouds will gradually increase as high pressure moves offshore and a southeast wind begins drawing in Atlantic moisture. While most of Thursday will remain dry, the increasing humidity and cloud cover will mark the return of an unsettled period. Temperatures during the day will range from the low 60s near the beaches to mid-70s farther inland. While unlikely, a stray shower cannot be ruled out late in the day.
Thursday night brings the arrival of a warm front from the south, lifting into the region and delivering the first real chance of rain. Scattered showers and a few non-severe thunderstorms may develop, especially inland, but some activity could reach the beaches overnight. Temperatures will remain mild overnight, in the low to mid-60s, with continued cloudiness.
By Friday, Sussex County enters the warm sector of the system, leading to a breezy and warmer day. Southwest winds will increase, with gusts up to 25 mph. Temperatures are expected to climb into the low to mid-70s along the coast. Skies will be variably cloudy, and as a cold front approaches from the west, the risk for scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms will return in the afternoon and evening. While the threat for severe storms is low, a brief downpour or isolated stronger cell cannot be ruled out.
Friday night will stay mild with lingering showers tapering off after midnight. Overnight lows will hover in the low 60s at the beaches, with gradual clearing possible.
By early Saturday morning, the next system will begin to influence the region. A slow-moving cold front will approach from the north and west, bringing another chance for rain by midday Saturday. The timing of this system has trended later, and its impacts will be felt more fully later Saturday.
