Towns and cities across America will be celebrating veterans and the sacrifices they have made this Memorial Day holiday weekend.
While many might plan to get away, some look forward to their staycation. However, heavy rain, gusty winds and rough surf are expected for parts of the East Coast, potentially ruining travel plans for the millions vacationing during the unofficial start to summer.
The FOX Forecast Center is tracking a complex weather scenario off the Eastern Seaboard through the Memorial Day weekend, which could lead to a tropical disturbance developing over the western Atlantic that causes a holiday weekend washout for parts of the Carolinas and the Southeast coast.
Memorial Day is a federal holiday in America and has been celebrated since the end of the Civil War.
The American Automobile Association (AAA) projects 2.7 million more people will travel this year compared to last – a rise of 2.7% and a sign of what’s to come in the months ahead. More than 42.3 million Americans will travel 50 miles or more from home this weekend.
“This is expected to be the third-busiest Memorial Day weekend since 2000 when AAA started tracking holiday travel,” said Paula Twidale, senior vice president of AAA Travel. “More Americans are planning trips and booking them earlier, despite inflation. This summer travel season could be one for the record books, especially at airports.”
Here’s a closer look at your Memorial Day weekend forecast.
You will want to plan for ponchos on the boardwalks on Saturday as hopes of fun in the sun are dashed in some areas.
On Saturday, thunderstorms will be widely scattered across the northern and central Plains.
Over on the East Coast, it will likely be a holiday weekend washout for parts of the Carolinas and the Southeast coast.
“That could bring some beneficial rain to a few folks,” FOX Weather meteorologist Britta Merwin said.
The FOX Forecast Center said dry weather and summertime temperatures are expected across the north-central U.S. and the Midwest, where highs could be upwards of 10 to 15 degrees above average. Most of the Northeast, mid-Atlantic and West Coast are also likely to enjoy a rain-free start to the weekend.
“This great weather is even going to stretch across the Midwest,” FOX Weather meteorologist Jason Frazer said. “Eighties for those of you in places like Chicago, Detroit, as well as Minneapolis, even St. Louis.”
Unfortunately, we’ve got to talk about the downside, where continued rain showers are expected from Sunday into Memorial Day across the Carolinas and Georgia.
It is a bust on the beach for the Southeast coast as vacationers trade in beach umbrellas for real ones.
Virginia is for lovers, but those visiting Virginia Beach will not love the weather this holiday weekend, as it could be wet and windy each day from Saturday through Memorial Day. You will want to plan to explore the restaurants, entertainment and shops that stretch across 40 city blocks.
“Hopefully, we can salvage part of our actual Memorial Day in some of these areas that have some not-so-great weather moving in for the holiday weekend,” Merwin said.
Sunday is expected to be rain-free across much of the Midwest and Northeast, as well as in the Southwest and into Central and Southern California.
Scattered to widespread showers and thunderstorms are expected to linger over much of the interior West through the Rockies, the FOX Forecast Center said. Those living in the High Plains and back toward the northern Rockies may even have the potential for flash flooding with some downpours of heavy rain that could be slow-moving.
“Looking at the whole holiday weekend, if you’re in that one spot, the Carolinas in Georgia, Monday’s probably going to be the best day out of the whole holiday weekend,” Merwin said. “We still have rain in the forecast, but it’ll be more scattered. You can probably take a look at radar, try and splash-and-dash, run some of these showers and storms.”
A large ridge of high pressure over the Northeast is going to deliver the saving grace for those there, keeping the forecast dry along the Interstate 95 corridor north of Washington. The Midwest and Southwest are also expected to stay dry for the Memorial Day holiday.