Halloween Week Storm To Drench VA: Latest Forecast

The lead-in to Halloween will be a wet and windy one for Northern Virginia, with a mid-week storm expected to bring 1.5 inches of rain and gusty winds, according to the latest forecast.

Trick-or-treaters are in luck, with the storm expected to clear out before Halloween.

Storms start Tuesday night and continue into Thursday, with thunderstorms possible that afternoon, forecasters said. Rainfall totals are forecast to be 1 to 1.5 inches in many areas. Gusty winds of 26 mph will blow throughout the day on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

While category 5 Hurricane Melissa is not likely to directly impact the East Coast, forecasters predicted a rainy start to the week as Halloween approaches.

AccuWeather forecasters warn that conditions will be blustery and chilly. The rain and wind will also create poor beach conditions, including further beach erosion and strong rip currents.

"The rain will develop late Wednesday afternoon as a storm system scoots across the Tennessee Valley. That system will then die out and a new one will form over the Mid-Atlantic, prolonging the rain into the first half of Thursday," said The Washington Post's Capital Weather Gang. "Some moisture from Hurricane Melissa may get drawn into the system, intensifying the rainfall early Thursday. However, the moisture feed from Melissa may not fully connect with the storm until it has passed to the north of D.C."

Friday will be dry and breezy in the region, with a high temperature near 59 degrees, National Weather Service forecasters said. Trick-or-treaters will have clear skies on Halloween night, with lows in the 40s.

Here's the latest Northern Virginia forecast from the Baltimore-DC office of the National Weather Service:

Monday: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 44. Northeast wind 7 to 9 mph.

Tuesday: Mostly cloudy, with a high near 57. Northeast wind 10 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.

Tuesday Night: A chance of showers, mainly after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Northeast wind around 9 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.

Wednesday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. Northeast wind 10 to 13 mph, with gusts as high as 22 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%.

Wednesday Night: Showers. Low around 52. East wind 11 to 15 mph, with gusts as high as 26 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Thursday: Showers before 11am, then showers and possibly a thunderstorm between 11am and 2pm, then showers likely after 2pm. High near 65. Chance of precipitation is 90%.

Thursday Night: Showers likely, mainly before 8pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 48. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Friday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 59. Breezy.

Friday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 43.