Much of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast have been gripped by a wet and chilly pattern in recent days as rounds of rainfall have swung through the area. However, AccuWeather forecasters say that a major shift is on the horizon as warm and dry weather is set to spread over the Northeast during the coming week.
The expected change arrives after multiple days of rainfall and dreary weather. Rainfall was heavy in many areas, with over 3 inches of rain across portions of Maryland, West Virginia and Pennsylvania. Eleanor, W.Va, recorded the highest official total from the storm, with 3.46 inches of rain as of Friday night. Flooding was reported in portions of the Appalachians as heavy rain fell, and West Virginia emergency management officials attributed a fatality to the rapidly rising waters.
As the storm system producing this rain moves farther offshore, a bulge in the jet stream will shift the storm track northward, allowing most of the region to remain dry and clear. This will also allow the record-breaking heat in the southern Plains to slide northward over the course of this week, sending temperatures rising to unseasonable levels.
“The warmth is set to arrive in New England this week with temperatures soaring into the 70s and 80s as far north as Maine and much of Canada, where average highs in May only reach the 50s and 60s,” said AccuWeather Meteorologist Jessica Storm.
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While the beginning of the week will have temperatures only slightly above normal, more notable heat is expected to arrive by Thursday, when cities such as Hartford, Conn.;, Buffalo, N.Y. and Bangor, Maine are expected to have their first 80-degree Fahrenheit day of the season.
As heat continues to build on Friday and into the weekend, record highs in many cities may be threatened. Warmth will peak on Saturday across much of New England, with temperatures more typical of June or July than early May.
Record-breaking temperatures will be a possibility as far north as Caribou, Maine, where highs are expected to reach the mid- to upper 70s by Thursday. The highest temperature recorded for May 12 was 78 degrees in 1992, Storm explained.
In cities from Syracuse, N.Y., to Plattsburgh and Manchester, N.H., high temperatures over the weekend are likely to approach or break record highs. However, in cities such as Providence, R.I. and Binghamton, N.Y., temperatures will still surge into the 70s and 80s, even though records are less likely to be broken.
While much of the Northeast will have summerlike temperatures late this week, locations in the mid-Atlantic and Southeast will have a tougher time reaching such high temperatures. With this past week’s storm expected to linger off the Southeast coast, increased cloud cover and showers will work to keep temperatures at bay. In locations such as Baltimore, highs are only expected to reach the 70s this weekend. In these areas, substantial rainfall also fell in recent days, and with a wet and saturated ground, it will take a greater push of warm air to increase temperatures. This is a contrast to areas farther north, which were largely missed by heavy rainfall. “Much of New England remained dry, which will help heat build significantly later this week,” Storm said.
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In addition, places on the immediate coast may have some influence from cool ocean waters, which could keep temperatures lower. In New England this weekend, high temperatures may be up to 20 degrees lower along the coast than in nearby inland areas.
This week’s temperatures and dry weather will be welcome news for graduation ceremonies and beachgoers but, forecasters urged people to be cautious when outside in the heat, especially when engaging in exercise or other strenuous activity. Those hoping to cool off at the beach will also want to be mindful of water temperatures, and the risk of cold water shock. While the air will be abnormally warm for this time of year, temperature readings in the ocean and lakes are still quite low, noticeable lower than they would be during the summer.
Much like areas in the Plains that are currently under the grip of record-breaking heat, little to no rain is expected for most of the Northeast as temperatures surge. However, unlike the drought-stricken areas of Texas and Oklahoma, most areas in the Northeast have had near or above-normal rainfall according to the United States Drought Monitor.
