Rainfall deficits this year throughout southeastern Pennsylvania run between five and nine inches, which generally means that the region has seen about 70 to 80 percent of what is considered "normal" rainfall. While we don't need nor want a repeat of last August and September around here, lawns and gardens wouldn't mind more rainfall.

Last week's two (three for some locations) bouts of rain —one on Sunday, scattered on Wednesday, and the other on Friday — definitely helped.

More is on the way this week.

Thunderstorm chances are in the forecast for late Monday and again on Tuesday as a frontal boundary out to our west crosses the region. Thunderstorms will be scattered so not everyone will see rainfall. However, because of increased instability in the atmosphere, we'll see the potential for some strong or severe storms in parts of the region.

Wednesday looks to be nice, but a second front pushes in from the west for Thursday night and Friday morning.  This front will bring another round of thunderstorms to the region — some of those will be strong if not severe.

There could be a third front on Saturday night and early Sunday with another chance of storms. Computer modeling is less in agreement about this third chance; one of the models suggests the threat is more Sunday night into Monday.  In any case, the chance is there for Saturday night.

Temperatures will bounce around the middle 80s and middle 90s. Tuesday will be the hottest day of the week. Though a heat wave is unlikely, it will be warm and we will probably add a couple of additional 90-degree days to the tally this year!

--

Tom Thunstrom is the editor and publisher of Phillyweather.net. Follow Phillyweather.net on twitter @phillywx or on Facebook.