Spring setback to deliver rain, more chill to Northeast this weekend
A cold front and incoming storm will bring chilly air, rain and sharp temperature swings across the Northeast, with brief warm breaks before cooler, damp conditions settle in for at least part of the weekend.
While the mid-Atlantic warms up after record-breaking cold, New England is staying in winterlike conditions.
Frequent stretches of chilly air and periods of rain are predicted across the northeastern United States in the days ahead. While brief warmups are in store for parts of the region, cool days will outnumber warm days into early next week.
A dip in the jet stream will allow cool air to settle across the Northeast, while damp Atlantic air spreads inland. The reach of this cool, damp air will vary from day to day, leading to noticeable swings in conditions in some locations—even within the same day.
Those hoping for pleasant weather to spend time outdoors in the Northeast should try to take advantage of Thursday, which is expected to bring the warmest temperatures across much of the region.
On Friday, a front will move southwestward from northern New England toward the eastern Great Lakes, the central Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic coast.
On the cool side of the front, mainly in New England and upstate New York, temperatures will hover in or drop into the 40s and 50s, which is about 10-20 degrees below the historical average. On the warm side, farther southwest, temperatures will climb into the 70s and 80s, or 10-20 degrees above average.
During the day and into Friday evening, a cold front will move from northeast to southwest across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware and Maryland. Conditions may quickly shift from shorts and T-shirts to fleece and jackets.
Pockets of rain will occur in the vicinity of the front. Drizzle may linger along the New England and upper mid-Atlantic coast behind the front, along with a raw wind from the ocean.
On Saturday, chilly, damp air will remain in place across much of the Northeast, while a storm system approaches from the west. This setup will produce a swath of rain moving east from Friday night into Saturday.
Those heading to the Penn State Blue-White spring game at University Park, Pennsylvania, on Saturday should bring rain gear and dress for cool conditions.
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Overall, the chilly air arriving Friday into Saturday will not be as cold as earlier this week for most of the region. However, parts of northeastern New York into central and northern New England could dip to frosty levels, with temperatures near or slightly below freezing for an hour or two around daybreak Friday and Saturday.
Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, conditions for the draft are expected to be dry and warm Thursday evening, with improving conditions again by Saturday afternoon. However, Friday evening may bring spotty showers that become steadier rain.
As the storm moves east from the Midwest, rain should clear the Atlantic coast by Sunday. However, light winds behind the system could leave areas of low clouds and spotty drizzle.
Should clouds linger all day in New York City, temperatures may not climb any higher than the 50s.
New freezes to be limited this weekend
Agricultural interests will be assessing damage to vines, orchards and bushes in the coming days. Temperatures from Monday night into Tuesday morning remained below freezing for many hours from New England and upstate New York to Virginia and parts of New Jersey and Delmarva.
Recent warm weather and rain that occurred just a day or two before the freeze accelerated budding and blossoming to days to weeks ahead of average, increasing the risk of significant damage to this year’s crops.
(Photo/DeniceBreaux, Getty Images)
Methods such as bonfires, wind machines and spraying water on plants are most effective when temperatures briefly dip below freezing or when cold air is confined near the ground, such as during a typical frost. This recent cold snap was more widespread and extended well above ground level, limiting the effectiveness of those measures.
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