Daily briefing: Autumn rain arrives

A soggy Wednesday is on tap across parts of the East and central U.S. today as autumn keeps making an appearance. This, and our tropical update, are available at 5 a.m. ET in our daily briefing.

Two autumn systems — one situated off the Mid-Atlantic Coast and another over the central Plains —will bring much-needed rain to both of these drought-stricken areas. The WeatherRadar will be a great tool to track the showery rain in Washington, Philadelphia and New York. In Kansas City, Omaha and Minneapolis, a few thunderstorms could arrive before the steadier rain later today.

Outside of a few late-day showers along the immediate southern California coast, the rest of the U.S. will be sunny. Big temperature swings will be found nationally.

The TemperatureRadar showing unseasonably hot 80s and 90s throughout the South, central Mississippi valley and the Midwest as well as the Southwest and southern Great Basin. The rest of the West will be in the 80s, with clouds and rain keeping the western Plains and Mid-Atlantic in the 70s.

After a quiet start to September, the tropics are trying to perk up. Tropical Depression Seven has formed in the central Atlantic. This system will likely turn to the northwest away from the Greater Antilles as it slowly strengthens. It will remain far from land through the weekend into early next week.

A second tropical wave coming off western Africa could become better organized over the next several days. This will be far from land for the next several days.

Although it has been quiet recently, the Atlantic Hurricane Season peaks in September, and you will want to be ready. Learn more about how our hurricane alerts work here.