Much-needed rain moves into Philadelphia area

The entire Northeast needs the rain, so don’t let a rainy day Monday get you down. Our streams, lakes, reservoirs are in drought stricken conditions, and many of your lawns are burning up.

Some help has arrived today, as tropical moisture from Julia, trying to become a tropical storm once again as she meanders off the southeast coast and sends a plume of moisture our way as she interacts with a frontal system moving slowly in from the west.

Julia is good news, not bad as even if she does reach tropical storm status she would be a minimal one with beneficial rains for the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast. I call the rain “liquid gold” as the lands are starved for moisture. It will not be enough to put any significant dent in the drought, but it will help to add some greenery back into the landscape, at least it is a start as were going to need significant rainfall this Autumn to fill the reservoirs.

Boston’s rain deficit since Jan.1, stands at 10 inches, farm lands across New England, New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey are hurting. Much of New Jersey and north-central Pennsylvania is in a moderate drought, with extreme drought drought in parts of western New York state.

The drought could mean lower production of pumpkins and apples this season. So beefy pumpkins and juicy apples could be a tougher to find. This could hurt you in the pocket as the law of supply and demand takes hold–low supply and high demand leads to increased prices. Ouch!

After Tuesday morning, another string of dry beautiful days will arrive and most likely last into and possibly through your upcoming weekend.

Tropical Watch

Tropical storm Karl,now located over the south central tropical Atlantic, is moving westward and should become a full-fledged hurricane over the next 72 to 84 hours. Computer guidance positions Karl north of the Bahamas and well south of Bermuda by early Friday morning. After that the future track remains uncertain.

Philadelphia forecast

Today: Showers, locally heavy, T-storm, 76

Tuesday: Morning showers, warm, 85

Wednesday: Becoming mostly sunny, warm, 87

Thursday: Sunshine, 85

Friday: Sunshine, 86

Weekend

Saturday: Sunshine, 84

Sunday: Sun, cooler, 77