How will Hurricane Idalia affect local Maryland, Pennsylvania, West Virginia area?

With Hurricane Idalia battering the Florida coast and Hurricane Franklin already far east of the Carolinas over the Atlantic Ocean, National Weather Service meteorologists said Wednesday the Tri-State area is not forecast to be affected by either hurricane.

Not with rain or stronger winds.

Hurricane Watcher's Guide:Maryland Storm Tracker and Model Mixer

The next few days into the holiday weekend "look really nice," said meteorologist Bill Gartner with the weather service's State College, Pa., forecast office.

High temperatures are forecast to be in the high 70s to mid-80s before hitting the 90s again on Sunday, according to online forecasts by the weather service for the Tri-State region.

The overnight lows are expected to be cooler as well, in the 50s through at least Saturday night.

Overnight lows during the past week have been in the high 60s and low 70s, according to Hagerstown-area weather observer Greg Keefer's website at https://i4weather.net.

The concern from Hurricane Idalia comes if folks are going to the Atlantic beaches, including in Delaware and Maryland. There will be a rip current threat from the swells generated, said Chris Strong, meteorologist with the weather service's Baltimore/Washington, D.C., forecast office.

Hurricane season approaching its peak

While the Tri-State area isn't expected to be hit by Idalia or Franklin, the peak of hurricane season has begun.

That peak usually occurs from late August through mid-September, so we're "in the thick of it right now," Strong said.

"This is definitely the time of year to monitor the tropics and the National Weather Service's National Hurricane Center for the latest for future threats as we go through the rest of hurricane season," Strong said.

Hurricane season starts in June and runs through November, he said.