Meteorologists reveal how the weather could sway the presidential election

In little than 2 weeks, Americans will determine whether Vice President Kamala Harris will beryllium nan first female president, aliases erstwhile President Trump will triumph a 2nd term.

But experts opportunity different facet will play a large domiciled successful this decision: nan weather.

In nan aftermath of hurricanes Helene and Milton, which ravaged nan East Coast from Florida to Virginia, galore voters are still successful betterment mode and whitethorn not beryllium capable to get to nan polls. 

Helene's devastating effect connected plaything authorities North Carolina could person an particularly beardown power connected the election, governmental strategist Bradley Trunk told DailyMail.com.

'North Carolina is 1 of nan 7 states that will find who nan adjacent president of nan United States is going to be,' he said. 'You can't really person overmuch higher stakes than this.'

Elsewhere successful nan US, moreover your mean rainstorm could person a important power connected elector turnout and mood, Trunk said. 

Research has shown that rainfall negatively impacts elector turnout. One study estimates that for each centimeter of rainfall that falls connected voting day, turnout falls by 0.95 percent points. 

While that whitethorn look for illustration an incremental impact, dense rainfall aliases utmost upwind successful a plaything authorities could, successful theory, trim turnout importantly capable to change nan results of an election. 

A rainy time tin besides induce a bad mood. When an undecided elector goes to nan polls emotion pessimistic, they whitethorn beryllium much inclined to ballot for a campaigner whose run is based connected punishment and gloom, Trunk said.

He claims Trump's run strategy falls into that pessimistic category, whereas Harris' messaging revolves astir optimism and dream for nan future.

Therefore, 'If you went to nan to nan polling spot connected a miserable time and you were genuinely undecided, from a axenic subconscious standpoint, arguably, that would advantage Trump,' he said. 

In fact, it's a wide norm of thumb that rainfall benefits nan Republican ticket, Trunk said. But that's not because each Republicans tally pessimistic statesmanlike campaigns. 

'Lower elector turnout useful amended for Republicans,' Trunk said. 

That's because much group thin to ballot Democrat - which is besides why this statement sometimes wins nan celebrated vote, but not nan electoral vote, he explained.

Some experts judge voting time conditions person swayed elections before, though this is little truth than governmental lore, Trunk cautions. 

During nan 1960 predetermination erstwhile John F. Kennedy hit Richard Nixon, voting time was clear and sunny crossed nan US. Some experts estimate that this gave nan Democratic summons an advantage. 

And successful 2000, erstwhile George W. Bush ran against Al Gore, predetermination time was rainy successful Florida - nan deciding authorities for this election. 

The bad upwind lowered elector turnout successful immoderate strongholds for Gore, specified arsenic Pensacola. This whitethorn person played a domiciled successful securing nan presidency for Bush. 

But nan US is huge, and upwind varies wide crossed nan state connected immoderate fixed day. So really tin localized upwind events sway an full election?

'Ultimately, it's because of nan Electoral College,' Trunk explained.

'The US does not find nan president by who wins nan astir votes. It determines who wins by 270 Electoral College votes, which are allocated by state,' he said.

Election time upwind successful nan 7 plaything states - Pennsylvania, Georgia, North Carolina, Michigan, Arizona, Wisconsin and Nevada - is really 'the only upwind that matters,' he said. 

That's why Hurricane Helene could beryllium to beryllium a cardinal subordinate successful this election.

The large wind made landfall arsenic a Category 4 hurricane connected September 26. 

Of nan six southeastern states that it impacted, North Carolina took nan brunt of nan devastation, and besides happens to beryllium nan only affected plaything state.

About half of nan full deaths occurred successful North Carolina, which was battered by torrential rain, wide flooding and precocious winds. 

State officials person reported 96 deaths related to nan storm, and estimate that Helene caused astatine slightest $53 cardinal successful damages and betterment needs. 

As North Carolinians prime up nan pieces of their homes, it's safe to presume that this will person a antagonistic effect connected elector turnout, though this remains to beryllium seen, Trunk said.   

But really will nan upwind connected predetermination time power voting passim nan US?

AccuWeather's lead long-range upwind expert, Paul Pastelok, gave DailyMail.com a preliminary forecast for predetermination time crossed nan country.

The Northeast, Great Plains and Southwest regions are looking for illustration they will person mild, barren upwind connected November 5, he said.

But different parts of nan US could spot less-than-ideal voting conditions.

There's a consequence of showers and thunderstorms from nan Mississippi Valley to nan Appalachian Mountains, and storms could go terrible successful nan Tennessee Valley, mid-Mississippi Valley and little Ohio Valley, Pastelok said.

Houston, Chicago, southeast Georgia and parts of Florida tin besides expect rainfall connected predetermination day. 

As for nan consequence of utmost weather, Pastelok will beryllium keeping a 'very adjacent eye' connected a imaginable tropical large wind presently brewing successful nan Caribbean - though it's excessively soon to opportunity whether it will really form, aliases effect nan US. 

All of these predictions are preliminary and taxable to change. 

The states expecting inclement upwind - Mississippi, Tennessee, Ohio, Texas and Illinois - thin to plaything red, and rainfall mostly gives nan Republican summons a boost successful votes.

But arsenic for whether this could sway nan predetermination successful Trump's favor, Trunk said it's unlikely, because nary of them are plaything states.

What's more, these states typically ballot reddish anyway, truthful a flimsy Republican advantage successful these locations will not shingle up nan predetermination results.

But if that bad upwind moves into North Carolina, 'it could beryllium meaningful,' Trunk said.