'Severe weather threat' forecast for parts of US could ruin your Memorial Day weekend

Show Caption

ARLINGTON, VA − The weather across a broad range of the nation this Memorial Day weekend may not be too cooperative with organizers of parades and other events honoring fallen war heroes − or for what could be a record number of Americans traveling for get-togethers with family and friends.

AAA projects a record 45.1 million people will travel at least 50 miles from home between May 22 and May 26, breaking a record of 44 million set in 2005. The travelers may be dodging raindrops or worse.

A "shortwave" over the Rocky Mountains will conspire with a frontal system to"provide support for heavy rain and thunderstorms in a moist and unstable environment" across parts of the central United States this weekend, National Weather Service meteorologist Jennifer Tate wrote in an extended forecast discussion. Flash flooding is possible, she said.

Shortwaves are pockets of energy that move east, generally at speeds between 20 mph and 35 mph.

AccuWeather warns that a "severe weather threat" will hover over portions of the southern Plains and can expand to the north on May 23. Thunderstorms that could pack high winds, large hail, flash flooding and a few tornadoes will extend from parts of Texas through Oklahoma, Kansas, Colorado and Nebraska, AccuWeather says in its extended forecast.

"The storms will slowly creep eastward across the South Central states as the weekend progresses," says AccuWeather senior meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. The target area could include parts of the Mississippi Valley and the Gulf Coast on May 24 and May 25 and stretch into the Southeastern states by Memorial Day.

Late seasonnor'easter is brewing, could bring dangerous winds to New England this week

Developments from the weather service:

∎ Temperatures could reach 100 in parts of Texas and Louisiana this weekend. "Summertime scattered storms" are likely across the Florida Peninsula through the weekend.

∎ New York should be mostly clear and cool, with highs in the upper 60s. Denver can expect highs mostly in the 70s but with thunderstorms a possibility throughout the weekend.

∎ Los Angeles should see mostly sunny skies throughout the weekend, but the Northwest may see renewed precipitation chances by the end of the weekend.

Warm Atlantic waters an ominous sign as hurricane season approaches

The Atlantic hurricane season technically opens on June 1, and forecasters are concerned that it could mirror the devastation and financial costs of the 2024 season. A devastating trend in recent years has been hurricanes tapping into unusually warm water, providing fuel to quickly strengthen before making landfall.

"The water temperatures across most of the Atlantic are above average for this time of the year," AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Expert Alex DaSilva said. "They're not quite as warm as what we saw last year and in 2023, but they're still well, well above average."

Waters are expected to stay warm throughout most of the hurricane season, AccuWeather said. Between 13 and 18 named storms are expected in 2025, including seven to 10 hurricanes, three to five major hurricanes that reach Category 3 strength or higher, and three to six direct U.S. impacts, DaSilva said. 

Weather Service struggles with cuts amid severe storms

National Weather Service meteorologists are struggling with an extra workload during the ongoing bout of severe storms in the Central United States, some working double shifts to issue warnings and survey the damage from deadly tornadoes. In Kentucky, the weather service office in Jackson is among those down a number of employees since the Trump administration's efforts to shrink the size of the federal government.

As a storm system approached Jackson on May 16, a few individuals agreed to work double shifts to make sure timely warnings continued during the overnight hours, said Tom Fahy, legislative director for the National Weather Service Employees Organization.

Ryan Maue, meteorologist at weathertrader.com, had sharp words for Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) for their handling of contracts at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which oversees the weather service. NOAA falls under the Commerce Department.

"Lutnick has been a disaster for NOAA, and it's all unforced errors. Go focus on trade or tariffs or whatever else on a daily basis," Maue wrote in a social media post. "These DOGE guys are clowns messing up our ability to accurately forecast the weather and warn the public."

Rain possible for events at Arlington National Cemetery

Memorial Day weekend draws large crowds to Arlington National Cemetery outside of Washington, D.C.

May 24 should be clear and cool, with a high in the upper 60s, the weather service says. The chance of rain slowly builds May 25 through Memorial Day.

Memorial Day is when scheduled events at the cemetery include a concert by the United States Marine Band and the U.S. Navy Band Sea Chanters, a wreath-laying at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and a parade of colors by Veterans’ organizations and remarks from special guests.

Late nor'easter targets New England ahead of holiday

A late-season nor'easter will bring high winds, low temperatures and heavy rain to Boston and much of New England before the holiday weekend arrives. Boston and much of New England could see wind gusts up to 50 mph along the coast. Coastal flooding is possible.

A nor`easter will sweep through the region late May 21 through May 23, the weather service said. The brewing nor'easter − a storm featuring strong winds from the northeast combined with heavy precipitation − is out of season; they mostly form between September and April.

The weather service in Boston is calling for clouds with unseasonably cool high temperatures for the rest of the week, with temperatures up to 20 degrees below normal.

What is a nor'easter?

Nor'easters are large, intense areas of low pressure that typically develop off the East Coast during the late fall, winter and early spring. The storms are called "nor'easters" because they usually bring strong northeast winds over the East as they move north along the Atlantic Coast.

Nor'easters also often bring heavy rain, heavy snow and severe coastal flooding to the East. Many nor'easters can produce blizzard conditions for a time, especially in New England. 

Contributing: Dinah Voyles Pulve and Doyle Rice