WEATHER ALERT: 'Drenching' Thunderstorms Will End Pa. Drought, Torrid Heat

By Tom Davis:

It all should end tonight.

A torrid upper-90-degree heat wave that’s capped an 18-day drought should come to end Wednesday night and Thursday as drenching thunderstorms are expected to arrive in the region.

The National Weather Service has issued a Hazardous Weather Outlook for Eastern Pennsylvania and all of New Jersey, saying showers and thunderstorms producing heavy rain may lead to flooding in poor drainage and low-lying areas through Thursday.

”We are looking at a front this evening and we’re looking at some pretty good rain, just a lot of rain,” said Jim Bunker, a National Weather Service Meteorologist.

Despite having a “small trace” of rain on Aug. 31, the region hasn’t had anything since Aug. 21, when .52 inches fell.

A number of towns in the region have imposed water restrictions, and a number of school districts closed early on Tuesday as they battle the effects of heat and drought.

Here is the Philadelphia region’s forecast through Friday:

Tonight: A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 3am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 70. South wind 5 to 7 mph becoming calm after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.

Thursday: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a high near 76. Northeast wind 3 to 6 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Thursday Night: Showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm. Cloudy, with a low around 63. Northeast wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New rainfall amounts between three quarters and one inch possible.

Friday: A chance of showers, mainly before 3pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 80. North wind around 7 mph. Chance of precipitation is 40%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.