Big warmup unfolding for central US; Chill to hold in East this week
A dramatic temperature split will unfold this week as record-challenging warmth expands across the Plains, while cold air entrenched in the Northeast brings snow, slick travel and the need for winter gear.
AccuWeather’s Leslie Hudson heads back out to the farm for day two of cold weather coverage.
Shorts and short-sleeve weather will return to the central and southeastern United States for the rest of the week, while millions in the Northeast continue to face winterlike cold, requiring coats, hats and possibly snow shovels in the northern tier.
Temperatures are forecast to rise significantly across the Plains and parts of the Mississippi Valley in the coming days, with some locations likely to challenge daily record highs. This surge is being driven by a pronounced northward bulge in the jet stream.
Beneath this dome of warm air, temperatures at ground level will climb well into the 60s, 70s and 80s F for multiple days from the Rockies to the Plains.
Multiple daily record highs will be challenged Friday in Texas and Oklahoma.
In Chicago, following a couple of days with highs in the 30s from Sunday and Monday, temperatures will rebound to the 50s through Friday and then the 60s Saturday. The historical average high for mid-November in Chicago is around 50.
The combination of warm air and breezy conditions will increase the risk of wildfire ignition and rapid spread in portions of the Plains states, where grass and brush have dried out.
However, in the Northeast, cold air is expected to continue its grip on the region through the weekend. In this zone, a persistent southward dip in the jet stream will allow periodic, quick-moving storms and reinforcing pushes of cold air to drop in from Canada.
Such a clipper-style storm will roll through the region Thursday.
This storm will produce some accumulating snow in the Adirondacks of northeastern New York and the Green Mountains of Vermont. A small slushy accumulation on top of what fell Tuesday and Wednesday is also possible in some areas of central and northern New York.
South of this storm, afternoon temperatures are expected to increase by about 10 degrees Fahrenheit from Tuesday's highs in the mid-Atlantic and southeastern New England, and by 10-20 degrees in the Ohio Valley states. For example, highs in New York City will be within a few degrees of 50, which is 5 or more degrees below the historical average.
In the wake of the storm, colder air is forecast to return from Thursday to Friday, with some lake-effect snow possible over lakes Erie and Ontario.
Another clipper storm is forecast to swing through the Northeast over the weekend, with similar effects to the late-week storm. One difference will be a zone where an icy mixture is likely in parts of central and northern New England, eastern New York and part of northeastern Pennsylvania.
The same quick-paced storm track in the Northeast will lead to many days with brisk to blustery conditions, adding to the chill and resulting in lower AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures.
In the Southeast, once the cold air leaves after Tuesday, temperatures are expected to trend upward through late week and into the weekend; however, there may be some dips along the way.
Still, temperatures will rebound well into the 60s and 70s in Atlanta, for example, which will be at or slightly above the historical average for mid-November.
In Orlando, highs will be within a few degrees of 80 from Thursday through the weekend for those heading to the theme parks before the Thanksgiving rush.
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