Migration over the Mid-Atlantic

As of today the low pressure system has moved far enough to the northeast to allow strong northwesterly winds to build in over the region. Whereas there was little migration last night on west winds and unstable atmosphere, tonight is an entirely different story. Heavy migration is underway across the northeast tonight, and much of it is heading southeast towards the coast. This is the type of weather that makes Cape May THE place for bird watching during fall migration.

Short-term forecast

As previously mentioned, tonight is prime weather for migration, and birds are taking advantage of it. Expect coastal hotspots to have high densities of migrants present tomorrow morning with the possibility of fallout conditions along the coast in the several hours following sunrise, as birds find themselves over water and attempt to return to shore. Inland locations will experience new arrivals as well, although because there is no adverse weather forecast for this evening birds will be well dispersed across the landscape.

Long-term outlook

Northwest winds are forecast for the northeastern US through the weekend, while west/southwest winds are predicted for the Mid-Atlantic. This combination is likely to result in more birds entering the area than departing, leading to nice buildup of new birds over the weekend. With the strong westerly component to the wind we could see more vagrants from the Central US as well.
As for next week, another low is forecast to reach the region by Tuesday and may bring with it some unstable weather.

Good Birding

David (www.woodcreeper.com)