After another dry start to the week, Wednesday kicks off another stretch of wet weather. Damp and dreary days will carry us through the end of the month, closing out May on a fittingly soggy note.
If it feels like May has been dominated by gray and dreary days, you’re not wrong, it has been a notably rainy month. Our rainfall has not been record-breaking, but this month has certainly been on the soggy side.
So far, we have had nearly as many rainy days as we have had dry ones. This has left us with over five and a half inches of rain at Central Park, outpacing the average monthly rainfall by over 2 inches. And we will once again add to that surplus before the month is out.
Though the constant cycle of soggy days has started to feel trite, they have provided much-needed, beneficial rainfall. Since the autumn of 2024, the tri-state has been facing ongoing drought conditions.
It was not until last week that we finally saw all drought removed from our area, leaving only a few spots still holding onto “dry conditions,” which will further improve with this week’s rain.
Despite the relatively dry start to the day, steady rain overtakes the tri-state Wednesday afternoon, making for a much soggier second half of the day. Be sure to bring the raincoat and umbrella with you before venturing outside; they will be essential throughout the latter half of the day.
We’ll start to see the rain really pick up in time for the evening commute; expect wet streets and some light ponding on low-lying roadways.
The wet weather will persist overnight, eventually tapering to showers by Thursday morning.
The timing of this rain is bad news for anyone hoping to catch a glimpse of the half-sun Manhattanhenge Wednesday night. We’ll be stuck in the showers throughout the ideal viewing time.
And even if we manage a few breaks in the rain, the cloudy skies will nullify any chance of catching the sun before it sets below the horizon.
But if you’re hoping to snap a picture of Manhattanhenge this month, all is not lost. Thursday night will be the sought-after “full-sun” Manhattanhenge. And there may be just enough clearing of the evening clouds that you’ll be able to capture the sun perfectly aligns with Manhattan’s city grid.
But if it’s still too cloudy or you happen to miss the moment, don’t worry, Manhattanhenge will come around again in July.
This midweek rain will also be something to consider if you’re attending one of the Beyoncé concerts at Meflife Stadium this week.
Wednesday night ticket holders will be the most impacted; you should fully expect a rain show. You’ll want to be prepared and pack a poncho. Or if ponchos aren’t your thing, you’ll have to come to terms with the fact you will be dancing in wet clothing all night.
Thursday night will see much-improved conditions; if you’re looking for last-minute tickets for the show, this is the night you’ll want to attend. Temperatures will be in the upper 60s and apart from an isolated shower chance later in the night, your show will be mostly dry.
We’ll continue to see some isolated showers, even a few storms, pop up, into the overnight and early Friday morning hours, but we’ll be mostly dry again by sunrise.
After a cloudy first half of the day, showers will slide along the coast, primarily impacting the Jersey Shore and Long Island. Those further inland will stay dry.
It is not until late Friday night that we see the return of more widespread rain. And this will take us through much of the day on Saturday.
It is the final day of May, and we are going to end the month with one final push of showers and storms. If you are hoping to make outdoor plans for the weekend, you should save them for Sunday.
As we flip our calendars over to June, and the start of meteorological summer, on Sunday we are being treated to a very different weather story.
We are looking ahead to not only a series of sunnier and drier days heading into next week, but we’ll also see an extended run of days with highs climbing into the 80s.
