Heavy Rain
Unsplash/Abhishek Tewari

A storm watch sours a festive Memorial Day weekend for most of Pennsylvania starting Wednesday.

A large part of Pennsylvania can expect severe thunderstorms before the weekend, with a focused watch in effect from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Wednesday. The NWS forecasts souring weather over Philadelphia, Berks, Bucks, Delaware, Chester, Lehigh and Montgomery Counties, and to a lesser extent, all of Delaware and New Jersey.

The storms could persist overnight and well into early Thursday morning, Fox 29 reported. The forecast comes after Philadelphia experienced record-high temperatures earlier this week, which peaked early Wednesday.

Record Heat Turns Chilly over Philadelphia

'The almost heat wave is gone and replaced with a much cooler air mass that will produce a rainy day ahead,' said meteorologist Brett Thackara. 'Expect periods of steady rain today as temperatures continue to fall. Highs will only be in the 50s this afternoon. The steady rain exits tonight, but cloudy skies and drizzle remain.'

Thursday temperatures are expected to peak at 63 degrees with showers forecasted over Philadelphia all day. The area could experience some sunshine but with chilly temperatures on Friday.

Affected areas could face 70 mph wind gusts, hail, and lightning, disrupting travel and outdoor plans for the upcoming holiday weekend. Flash flood warnings are also in effect for the following counties until 9:45 p.m. Wednesday: Northwestern Burlington, Northwestern Camden, North Central Gloucester, Southeastern Bucks, Delaware, Southeastern Montgomery, and Philadelphia.

Travel Advisory for Storm-Damaged Areas

Areas like Thorndale and West Trenton are already experiencing system-wide outages. Commuters are advised to find alternate routes around those areas, which are reportedly unpassable due to downed trees and severe storm damage.

Residents can anticipate a wet Memorial Day Weekend starting Saturday with temperatures peaking at 56 degrees. Showers will persist on a slightly warmer Sunday and Monday. The weather is expected to turn after that, with a warmer, partly sunny Tuesday and Wednesday, per the seven-day forecast.

Storm Watch Kicks off Busy Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day marks the official start of summer in the US, spurring travel and outdoor activities. According to AAA, over 525,000 visitors are expected to visit or pass through Philadelphia this long weekend, with about 470,000 contributing to road traffic.

6ABC reported the influx rate is slightly higher than last year, despite higher fuel prices. Most of that growth is also attributed to people travelling by train and bus. Visitors can plan against delays by finding alternate transportation early or by using a trip planner via SEPTA.

It's best to err on the side of caution and prepare for the most severe forecasts. Residents are advised to stay indoors and keep monitoring local alerts and weather updates, especially during the height of the storm watch. For those caught in the middle of the storms, take shelter in buildings and avoid trees or open vehicles.

The forecast is expected to put a damper on Memorial Day weekend plans, as outdoor trips and cookouts are interrupted by souring weather. Residents and visitors are advised to have indoor backup options and allot extra travel time, avoiding nonessential driving until the storm watch passes.

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