So far September is off to a mild dry start. Temperatures have been running more than two degrees above average and we’ve only had .14″ of rain, an inch below average. Going back to mid-August, our rainfall deficit in 2.69″ below average, and abnormally dry soil conditions are once again spreading across the state.

After a sunny, mild Monday, an approaching cold front will bring clouds this evening with our rain chances rising after 9pm. Rain will spread statewide after Midnight and scattered showers will continue through Tuesday morning. A second cold front will move across the state Tuesday night and keep the threat of light rain in the forecast through Wednesday morning. The clouds and rain will keep high temperatures near 70° for Tuesday and Wednesday and rain totals should stay below a quarter-inch over the next 48 hours.

We are less than two weeks from the official start of fall and high pressure will dominate our weather pattern for the rest of the week. Expect sunny skies, with highs in the 70s through Saturday.

Now, some good news for the eastern seaboard. Hurricane Lee has stayed over the Atlantic and is approximately 600 miles east of the Bahamas with maximum sustained winds of 120 mph. The storm is moving northwest at 8 mph current computer models show the storm turning north Wednesday afternoon. That northward turn would keep the storm well east of the eastern U.S. At this point a direct U.S. landfall looks unlikely.

September is off to a dry start.

Rain will move in the state overnight.

Temperatures will be cooler on Tuesday.

This is going to be a mild week.

Hurricane Lee is still a powerful hurricane.