After EIGHT straight weekends with rain, this will be the first weekend since Labor Day weekend that will be dry. This is GREAT news for many people who want to spend time outdoors, whether planning sports, hiking or leaf peeping.

In the last eight weekends, there have been numerous impacts caused by the rain. Flooding made travel difficult, muddy fields forced many games to be canceled or postponed, and most other outdoor activities had to be moved indoors or canceled completely. These impacts were more widespread when storms had tropical moisture, including with the remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia on Sept. 24 and 30.

The rainy streak will end this weekend as a mix of sun and clouds is expected. With the fall foliage peaking closer to the coast, conditions will be near-perfect for leaf peeping and enjoying the fall colors. Outdoor sports will have no weather complaints as fields will be dry, and the wind will be light.

This dry weather is especially important for Sunday, as the 2023 TCS New York City Marathon gets underway at 7 a.m., lasting through the afternoon. Sunday will start off rather cloudy, but it will become sunny and warmer. Temperatures for the first runners will be chilly, in the upper 40s, but warm up nicely to the 60-degree mark after noon.

The dry weekend is a sign that a pattern change is taking place as storm systems are now arriving during the midweek. The tri-state area just saw showers and even the first snowflakes of the season across higher elevations on Wednesday. Next week, showers are possible on Tuesday through Thursday. While Tuesday's storm likely passes to the north and will likely bring light showers, Thursday's storm has a chance to produce some more significant rain.

Continue to stay with the News 12 Storm Watch Team as we continue to track the incoming warmth and storms.