Heat wave to complete spring weather whiplash, worsen drought in East
A significant May heat wave will send temperatures soaring into the 90s across much of the East just days after record cold in some areas, while worsening drought conditions from the mid-Atlantic to the Southeast.
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More than 80 million people will experience a building heat wave across parts of the eastern United States into Wednesday. The heat wave is occurring just days after some communities experienced record cold.
Temperatures will surge into the 80s and 90s in areas where sustained warmth has been rare this spring. The expanding heat is also expected to worsen drought conditions in parts of the mid-Atlantic and Southeast.
While the change may be welcome by hot-weather lovers tired of shivering or wearing long sleeves and jackets to stay warm, it may be abrupt and accompanied by higher humidity, making it difficult for some sensitive individuals to adjust to the 30- to 60-degree temperature flip.
Temperatures springboard to July, August levels
Bradford and State College, Pennsylvania, were among the locations that set record-low maximum temperatures Thursday. Highs only reached 42 and 49 degrees, respectively, compared to average mid-May highs in the upper 60s.
Those same locations, along with many communities across the Appalachians, the mid-Atlantic and the Southeast, may challenge record highs Tuesday as temperatures climb into the 80s and mid-90s. Record highs in Bradford and State College were established during a notable heat wave in 1962.
In some areas of the East, AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will top 100 degrees Fahrenheit.
The heat crescendo will peak Tuesday across much of the East, after temperatures trended upward Monday. By Wednesday, the core of the heat will retreat toward the Atlantic Coast and the Southeast.
"Many areas in the East will experience their highest temperatures of the year so far during the next several days, surpassing the brief warmups in March and April,” AccuWeather Vice President of Forecast Operations Dan DePodwin said.
Temperatures are forecast to reach the 90s for multiple days in Boston and in major metro areas, including New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Charlotte and Atlanta.
Heat wave to worsen drought from the mid-Atlantic to the Southeast
Several days of intense May sunshine and heat will likely worsen expanding drought conditions in some areas. The combination will accelerate evaporation from already dry soils.
"Although parts of the East have received occasional rainfall, it has been too sporadic to significantly ease drought conditions,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill said. “Rainfall deficits across portions of the mid-Atlantic and Southeast have reached 10-15 inches since last fall."
"Many rivers, including the Potomac and Shenandoah, are experiencing record-low flow rates as a result,” Merrill added. “Baltimore officials are encouraging voluntary water conservation because of low reservoir levels. Middletown, Maryland, has already prohibited lawn watering due to the dry conditions."
Soil moisture is depleted well below the surface from New Jersey to Georgia, immediately creating problems for farmers during a critical planting period. Emerging crops also need adequate moisture now to support healthy fruit production later this summer.
Should the drought continue well into the summer, water tables will drop, and utility ponds and some shallow wells may dry up.
As a cold front pushes east from the Plains between Wednesday and Thursday, scattered showers and thunderstorms may provide limited drought relief in some areas. However, repeated rounds of soaking rainfall will be needed to reduce severe-to-exceptional drought conditions significantly.
In the wake of the front, temperatures will drop quickly, but not enough to foster frosts and freezes in the region.
The quick cooldown will take place over the Midwest Tuesday, the Appalachians Wednesday and east of the mountains Thursday.
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