Spring warmth remains on hold as cold air, snow return to Northeast
By
Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Apr 13, 2020 3:11 PM EST
In the wake of the storm system that produced a tornado outbreak the Deep South during Easter weekend and severe storms to the East Coast on Monday, a much colder pattern has set up over the northeastern United States for the balance of this week.
This is the same air mass that brought temperatures 20-40 degrees Fahrenheit below normal to the High Plains on Sunday and Monday. Around the middle of April in the Central states, normal highs range from the 50s across the north to the 60s and 70s farther south.
Temperature departures are not expected to be as drastic in the Northeast as the Arctic air will moderate as it settles eastward.
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Some coastal locations may record highs in the 50s on Wednesday, but highs in the 40s will be the theme elsewhere in the Northeast. Temperatures in the higher elevations will struggle to climb higher than the 30s.
The cold air mass will continue to moderate through the end of the week, and temperatures in the 50s and 60s will creep farther north toward the Mason-Dixon Line. But farther north, 40-degree days are forecast to continue.
Normal highs for the middle of April range from the middle 40s in northern Maine to the middle 50s across New York. Across Pennsylvania, temperatures around 60 F are common, while in Maryland and Virginia, highs generally reach the middle 60s.
This chillier pattern also helped to bring snow to the central Appalachian mountains on Tuesday night. With low temperatures trending into the low to mid-30s Tuesday night, a few flakes dusted the lower elevation portions of the Appalachians. A general 1-2 inches of snow coated the highest elevations.
Outside of a couple snow showers over the western and central portions of Pennsylvania and New York state during Wednesday afternoon and evening, the region looks to remain free of snow until the end of the week, when a weak storm may spread a swath of rain and wet snow mixture from the central Plains to southern New England.
Forecasters say the persistent chill will be slow to exit northern locations.
"Unfortunately, most of the northern Plains, Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast will continue to endure a delay in spring weather with an upper-level storm and northwest flow maintaining its influence," said AccuWeather Long Range Meteorologist Jack Boston.
This is forecast to keep near- to below-normal temperatures across the Upper Midwest and into the Northeast into next week.
"People from the Midwest to the Northeast and the interior South who have started tender annual plants and vegetable seedlings should protect them or bring them indoors at night as there will be areas of frost and freezing temperatures in some locations during multiple nights this week," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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News / Weather Forecasts
Spring warmth remains on hold as cold air, snow return to Northeast
By Maura Kelly, AccuWeather meteorologist
Published Apr 13, 2020 3:11 PM EST
In the wake of the storm system that produced a tornado outbreak the Deep South during Easter weekend and severe storms to the East Coast on Monday, a much colder pattern has set up over the northeastern United States for the balance of this week.
This is the same air mass that brought temperatures 20-40 degrees Fahrenheit below normal to the High Plains on Sunday and Monday. Around the middle of April in the Central states, normal highs range from the 50s across the north to the 60s and 70s farther south.
Temperature departures are not expected to be as drastic in the Northeast as the Arctic air will moderate as it settles eastward.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Some coastal locations may record highs in the 50s on Wednesday, but highs in the 40s will be the theme elsewhere in the Northeast. Temperatures in the higher elevations will struggle to climb higher than the 30s.
The cold air mass will continue to moderate through the end of the week, and temperatures in the 50s and 60s will creep farther north toward the Mason-Dixon Line. But farther north, 40-degree days are forecast to continue.
Normal highs for the middle of April range from the middle 40s in northern Maine to the middle 50s across New York. Across Pennsylvania, temperatures around 60 F are common, while in Maryland and Virginia, highs generally reach the middle 60s.
This chillier pattern also helped to bring snow to the central Appalachian mountains on Tuesday night. With low temperatures trending into the low to mid-30s Tuesday night, a few flakes dusted the lower elevation portions of the Appalachians. A general 1-2 inches of snow coated the highest elevations.
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Outside of a couple snow showers over the western and central portions of Pennsylvania and New York state during Wednesday afternoon and evening, the region looks to remain free of snow until the end of the week, when a weak storm may spread a swath of rain and wet snow mixture from the central Plains to southern New England.
Forecasters say the persistent chill will be slow to exit northern locations.
"Unfortunately, most of the northern Plains, Midwest, Great Lakes and Northeast will continue to endure a delay in spring weather with an upper-level storm and northwest flow maintaining its influence," said AccuWeather Long Range Meteorologist Jack Boston.
This is forecast to keep near- to below-normal temperatures across the Upper Midwest and into the Northeast into next week.
"People from the Midwest to the Northeast and the interior South who have started tender annual plants and vegetable seedlings should protect them or bring them indoors at night as there will be areas of frost and freezing temperatures in some locations during multiple nights this week," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo