Wet & chilly start to workweek

Today might just be the “Mondayest” Monday of all time. Widespread rain is pushing into the Carolinas from the west as an expansive storm system sweeps through the Southeast. Not only will it be wet, it will also be chilly. Highs will struggle to clear the 40s across the board today and tomorrow, putting the Metro about 15-20° below average for late October. Most locations will see 1-3″ of rain over the next 72 hours before a second rainmaking system clears the moisture out to the east by Thursday afternoon. Sunny skies return by Halloween Friday, but temperatures only reach into the 50s and 60s as we close out October. Lows will dip into the 20s and 30s Halloween night, so keep your little ghouls and goblins layered up as they hit the streets.

Hurricane Melissa continues to bear down on the northwestern Caribbean, and the forecast looks dire for Jamaica. Melissa has attained high-end Category 4 strength this Monday morning with core winds approaching 150 mph as it closes within 24 hours of striking the island nation. Devastating storm surge, major-hurricane-force winds, and torrential rainfall will bombard Jamaica, eastern Cuba, and western Haiti over the next two days before Melissa finally speeds up and clears to the northeast. Models continue to show rain totals approaching 30-40″ for eastern Jamaica over the next 48 hours. Fortunately for us, Melissa will stay far away from the U.S. mainland, but Bermuda may also have to endure a direct hit later this week – although the storm should be much weaker by then.

Monday: Widespread rain. High: 53°. Wind: NE 10-20. Gusts: 25+

Monday Night: Rain continues. Chilly. Low: 48°. Wind: NE 10-20. Gusts: 25+

Tuesday: Another wet and windy day. High: 51°. Wind: NE 10-20. Gusts: 25+

Tuesday Night: Off-and-on showers. Low: 46°. Wind: NE 10-15. Gusts: 20+

Wednesday: Overcast with scattered gusty showers. High: 55°. Wind: NE 10-15. Gusts: 20+