Goodbye summerlike warmth? Soggy, cool conditions to return to eastern US
By
Mary Gilbert, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published May 16, 2020 10:38 AM EDT
After a tease of summerlike warmth, AccuWeather meteorologists say a soggy and cooler pattern will dominate the East this week.
After many locations across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast ended the first third of May with temperatures 3.5 to 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit lower than normal, conditions soared to summerlike levels across the Eastern Seaboard on Friday.
Several locations, including Philadelphia, recorded their first 80-plus degree day of the year. Philadelphia's high of 85 on Friday marked the latest into the year the first 80-plus day had been recorded since 1997. Typically, the first 80-plus-degree day of the year occurs for the city in early April.
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Unfortunately, the same air that sent temperatures soaring also primed the atmosphere for damaging storms to develop over the area.
Severe storms blew through portions of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Friday, spurring dozens of damaging wind reports and power outages across several states. Atmospheric conditions were so volatile that a tornado watch was issued across portions of five states. For parts of New Hampshire, the tornado watch was the first issued for the area in nearly five years.
After a dry and comfortable Saturday, showers returned to the mid-Atlantic on Sunday as a storm system approached from the west.
"It will turn cooler from the Midwest to the mid-Atlantic coast through early this week," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Samuhel said.
While temperatures will not rival the winterlike cold that gripped many Eastern states on May 8 and 9--cold which broke or tied more than 100 low temperature records--it will certainly not feel like mid-May.
By Monday, widespread 60s are expected across the Northeast, with 60s and 70s for the mid-Atlantic. On Tuesday, 60s will be common across both regions. Wednesday will likely be the coolest day of the week for many locations as 50s and 60s will be common across both regions.
Conditions will slowly begin to creep back up on Thursday, with 60s likely from Maine to Virginia.
The major contributing factor to the cooldown will be a slow-moving storm that will keep clouds and rain around at times. Most of the rain is likely to stay confined to the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and lower mid-Atlantic through the first half of the week.
On Monday, the steadiest rain will focus on the Midwest, with a few showers extending into part of New York state.
Heavy rain will focus on part of the Ohio Valley and lower mid-Atlantic on Tuesday. The storm in the East will be slowed down by an interaction with Tropical Storm Arthur, the first named Atlantic tropical system of 2020. However, Tuesday should wind up dry elsewhere across the Northeast, as a wedge of dry air keeps the rain at bay.
The interaction between the two storms will cause the storm in the East to stall out over the Ohio Valley, southern Appalachians and lower mid-Atlantic and dump heavy rain over the area. Though less intense, rain will continue over much of the area on Wednesday and beyond.
During the latter half of the week, the rain may begin to creep northward into the Northeast.
Despite chilly and damp conditions remaining in place through the end of the week, hope is on the horizon for warm-weather fans.
“It will turn warmer during the start of the Memorial Day weekend,” Samuhel said.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Weather Forecasts
Goodbye summerlike warmth? Soggy, cool conditions to return to eastern US
By Mary Gilbert, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published May 16, 2020 10:38 AM EDT
After a tease of summerlike warmth, AccuWeather meteorologists say a soggy and cooler pattern will dominate the East this week.
After many locations across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast ended the first third of May with temperatures 3.5 to 5.5 degrees Fahrenheit lower than normal, conditions soared to summerlike levels across the Eastern Seaboard on Friday.
Several locations, including Philadelphia, recorded their first 80-plus degree day of the year. Philadelphia's high of 85 on Friday marked the latest into the year the first 80-plus day had been recorded since 1997. Typically, the first 80-plus-degree day of the year occurs for the city in early April.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Unfortunately, the same air that sent temperatures soaring also primed the atmosphere for damaging storms to develop over the area.
Severe storms blew through portions of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast on Friday, spurring dozens of damaging wind reports and power outages across several states. Atmospheric conditions were so volatile that a tornado watch was issued across portions of five states. For parts of New Hampshire, the tornado watch was the first issued for the area in nearly five years.
After a dry and comfortable Saturday, showers returned to the mid-Atlantic on Sunday as a storm system approached from the west.
"It will turn cooler from the Midwest to the mid-Atlantic coast through early this week," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dave Samuhel said.
While temperatures will not rival the winterlike cold that gripped many Eastern states on May 8 and 9--cold which broke or tied more than 100 low temperature records--it will certainly not feel like mid-May.
By Monday, widespread 60s are expected across the Northeast, with 60s and 70s for the mid-Atlantic. On Tuesday, 60s will be common across both regions. Wednesday will likely be the coolest day of the week for many locations as 50s and 60s will be common across both regions.
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Conditions will slowly begin to creep back up on Thursday, with 60s likely from Maine to Virginia.
The major contributing factor to the cooldown will be a slow-moving storm that will keep clouds and rain around at times. Most of the rain is likely to stay confined to the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and lower mid-Atlantic through the first half of the week.
On Monday, the steadiest rain will focus on the Midwest, with a few showers extending into part of New York state.
Heavy rain will focus on part of the Ohio Valley and lower mid-Atlantic on Tuesday. The storm in the East will be slowed down by an interaction with Tropical Storm Arthur, the first named Atlantic tropical system of 2020. However, Tuesday should wind up dry elsewhere across the Northeast, as a wedge of dry air keeps the rain at bay.
The interaction between the two storms will cause the storm in the East to stall out over the Ohio Valley, southern Appalachians and lower mid-Atlantic and dump heavy rain over the area. Though less intense, rain will continue over much of the area on Wednesday and beyond.
During the latter half of the week, the rain may begin to creep northward into the Northeast.
Despite chilly and damp conditions remaining in place through the end of the week, hope is on the horizon for warm-weather fans.
“It will turn warmer during the start of the Memorial Day weekend,” Samuhel said.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo