From 80s to frost: Temperature roller coaster this week in Northeast, Midwest
A new cooldown will send temperatures tumbling across the Midwest and Northeast, raising the risk of frost for some areas prior to Mother's Day weekend. After yet another warmup, more cool air follows next week.
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More temperature swings are in progress for the Midwest and Northeast, including a significant cooldown through late week that could bring frosty mornings to some areas.
Spring often brings a tug-of-war between lingering winter chill and building summer warmth across the northern United States. The transition can be frustrating for warm-weather fans, and after a rough winter, many are still waiting for consistent warm conditions. This spring has delivered several setbacks.
People riding a roller coaster in Jackson, New Jersey. (Getty Images/Tetra Images-fotog)
There is some good news: The temperature dips will not be as extreme as in recent weeks. Still, cool days are still likely to outnumber warm days relative to normal, with repeated waves of cool air moving southeast from Canada.
Temperatures climbed into the 70s and 80s across much of the Midwest Monday and reached similar levels in the Northeast Tuesday. However, cooler air has already advanced into the Midwest and will settle into the Northeast through Friday.
Temperatures in Chicago were about 20 degrees lower on Tuesday than Monday. In Washington, D.C., temperatures that peaked at 86 Tuesday afternoon trended to the mid-60s Thursday afternoon.
This pattern will continue to bring nights of near- or below-freezing temperatures across the northern Midwest. In International Falls, Minnesota, lows dropped into the mid-20s through Thursday night, then will range from the upper 20s to near 30 from Friday through Sunday nights.
In Houghton Lake, Michigan, temperatures dipped near freezing Tuesday night and did so again Wednesday night, with additional frost possible later in the week if winds diminish and the sky clears.
Farther south across the Midwest, including Chicago, Detroit, St. Louis and even Minneapolis, temperatures are not expected to reach levels that would damage tender plants.
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Another rebound is forecast from Friday to Saturday in the Midwest and from Saturday to Mother's Day in the Northeast, with highs climbing into the 60s and 70s and a few spots reaching 80.
Looking ahead to next week, another large dip in the jet stream is expected to develop near Hudson Bay, Canada. This pattern will send additional waves of cool to chilly air into the Midwest and Northeast—so it may be too soon to open the pool. Another round or two of frost in the Northeast and freezes in the Upper Midwest are likely.
Conditions through much of May could pose a frost risk in some areas, even beyond the typical last frost date.
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