Labor Day weekend forecast: Will weather ruin your outdoor plans?
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Rain in the East and brutal heat in the central and southern U.S. may make you rethink your outdoor holiday plans.

Miriam Guthrie
ByMiriam Guthrie
8 hours agoUpdated: September 2, 2026, 5:57 am EDTPublished: September 2, 2026, 8:00 pm EDT

Early look at Labor Day: Could you see rain or sweltering temps?

Whether you plan to spend your Labor Day weekend out on the lake, grilling and watching college football, or just soaking in the last bits of summer, you'll want to keep an eye on the weather.

Heat across the central U.S. may make any outdoor plans feel miserable; meanwhile, the East, as well as parts of the Four Corners, may see plans get rained out.

Here's a look at what the weather has in store for your holiday weekend.

Keep in mind that we are still many days out, so as we get closer to the weekend, the forecast will become clearer. Be sure to check back for the latest forecast updates.

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How hot will it be?

Much of the central U.S. will be significantly hotter than average, especially across the Plains.

The southern Plains will be in the triple digits throughout the holiday weekend, and most of the central and northern Plains will be in the 90s.

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The Southeast will also be in the 90s, but humidity will make it feel even worse outside. Heat indices across the Southeast and southern Plains are forecast to reach triple digits.

(MAPS: Daily US Highs/Lows)

Meanwhile, the Northwest and northern and central California will be cooler than average throughout the weekend, with places like Seattle and San Francisco in the 70s and maybe even high 60s.

The rest of the country will be close to average for this time of year, which means the mid-Atlantic and Great Lakes region will be in the 80s and the Northeast in the 70s.

DCT 34

Soggy or not?

If you are in the East and Southeast, you could see a soggy holiday weekend

A system is expected to move through the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic region on Saturday, bringing rainy weather as it moves towards the Southeast. The Pacific Northwest could also see scattered showers.

On Sunday, much of the Southeast will likely see showers and thunderstorms throughout the day, so this would be the worst day to plan outdoor activities. The Northern Plains and Rockies could also see scattered showers.

By Monday, showers could linger for those along the Gulf Coast and parts of the Southeast. The Northern Rockies and Northern Plains could again see scattered showers.

(MAPS: 7-Day US Rainfall Forecasts)

Meanwhile, the Four Corners could see more monsoonal moisture pop up throughout the weekend, but you should still be able to catch some dry patches for any outdoor activities.

The rest of the country will stay dry this holiday weekend, but you'll want to limit your time outdoors if you're in the thick of the heat.

Saturday

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Sunday

DCT 28

Monday

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Miriam Guthrie is an associate meteorologist with weather.com who graduated from Georgia Tech with her undergrad and graduate degrees in Earth & Atmospheric Sciences.

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