Northeast, Midwest soggy Memorial Day

ABC News reported Memorial Day weather remained unsettled across the Northeast and Midwest on Monday, with scattered rain, wet roads and cooler temperatures affecting holiday plans. The network said the pattern was not expected to be a total washout, but rain was still lingering across much of the eastern half of the country. Fox21, citing fuel-price data and travel forecasts, reported drivers were facing a national average gasoline price of about $4.55 a gallon as of Friday. Even so, AAA projected a record Memorial Day travel weekend, with millions still expected on the roads. ### Where was the rain concentrated on Memorial Day? Philadelphia-area forecasts pointed to one of the wetter holiday setups. CBS Philadelphia reported steady rain continued Sunday and said some neighborhoods might not see much clearing until late Monday. NBC Philadelphia had already described the weekend as dreary, with soaking rain and gusty conditions earlier in the holiday stretch. (abcnews.com) ABC News said the broader zone of wet weather covered much of the Northeast and Midwest into Memorial Day after drenching parts of the East on Sunday. USA Today also reported rain was likely across parts of the eastern United States, while much of the West was expected to stay hotter and drier. ### Did forecasters expect a full holiday washout? (cbsnews.com) ABC News said conditions were expected to improve somewhat heading into Memorial Day, even as the soggy pattern persisted. Its report said the Northeast and Midwest were due for some improvement after wet and cool weather dominated Sunday. CBS Philadelphia gave a similar outlook for southeastern Pennsylvania, New Jersey and Delaware. (abcnews.com) The station said more rain was expected through the weekend, but some spots could see a little clearing by late Monday. ### What did this mean for people traveling by car? Fox21 reported high gasoline prices were not expected to stop Memorial Day travel. (abcnews.com) The outlet said the national average gasoline price was about $4.55 per gallon as of Friday, and The Hill carried the same figure in a report on holiday driving demand. AAA projected 45 million Americans would travel at least 50 miles from home over the Memorial Day period, according to travel reports published ahead of the holiday. (cbsnews.com) UPI said 39.1 million of those travelers were expected to go by car and 3.66 million by plane, underscoring why rain and slick roads mattered more to many travelers than whether they were traveling at all. (thehill.com) ### Was the weather any better in the West? KESQ forecasts for the Coachella Valley showed a very different Memorial Day setup. The station said desert highs were expected in the upper 90s, with sunshine through the holiday period and breezier conditions building later Monday. Other KESQ forecasts published earlier in the week also described upper-90s temperatures, with some communities briefly nearing triple digits. (upi.com) The Desert Sun reported Palm Springs and surrounding desert communities were expected to stay warm and sunny for Memorial Day, with breezy weather possible. ABC News and USA Today both described the West as the more favorable side of the national map, with drier conditions than the East. (kesq.com) ### What should travelers watch next? Late-Monday clearing in parts of the Philadelphia region remained possible, CBS Philadelphia said, while KESQ said winds in the Coachella Valley could build by Monday evening. AccuWeather reported the Northeast was expected to turn warmer and drier after the holiday weekend, offering a clearer next step for travelers waiting out the rain. (cbsnews.com) (desertsun.com)