First week of spring will feel authentic in the Northeast

I don't think I can go wrong with that headline. Very few types of weather would seem totally out of place in the first week of spring in the Northeast. Sometimes we have arctic blasts. Sometimes there are car-capturing, bus-blocking, truck-trapping, totally disrupting snow storms. Occasionally, there are massive floods, fed by melting snow and accompanied by heavy rain. Unfortunately, there can be killer and damaging tornadoes. While some of those things will affect parts of the U.S, during the next week, more mundane and tame types of weather will be more common in the Northeast. A cold high-pressure area covers the region as we go into the weekend, but most of the first week of the season will be on the mild side. It looks dry through Tuesday, then a series of storms spaced two days apart could begin.

As the last day of winter started, Thursday's rainstorm had departed from the middle of Pennsylvania. It was cold, but it was clearing. This is the satellite picture from Friday afternoon:

The following map shows the general weekend forecast:

The following map for Saturday afternoon shows the big high-pressure area that's in control:

Although Saturday will dawn cold throughout the Northeast, abundant sunshine with light wind will allow it to feel more pleasant in the afternoon. Little change on Sunday, so we'll skip to Mondays map:

With a high-pressure area offshore, the southerly flow of mild air will be established from Illinois to Pennsylvania. We do see a low pressure area in Texas causing some rain through parts of the Midwest. Thunderstorms will break out in the southern portion of the area affected by the storm. Tuesday will be nice and mild in the Northeast, but the following forecast map for Wednesday shows clouds and showers:

The storm over the upper Great Lakes on this map should head northeastward into Canada, and drier air will spread east from Illinois and Indiana. Note the area of precipitation forming in western Oklahoma out to parts of New Mexico. That's the beginning of the storm that should be affecting the Northeast on Friday:

We are getting pretty far out here, but the Friday storm looks like it takes a track farther south than the one on Wednesday and so there could be showers and perhaps thunderstorms in the middle Atlantic region. A little more chilly air will come in behind it. Models have been suggesting a shot of colder air could arrive just as we go into the start of April, but the cold days are numbered now as we truly head into spring.