Storms to take a chunk out of Northeast heat wave
By
Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Jun 8, 2021 5:57 PM EST
As the Northeast continues to bake under the first heat wave of the season, AccuWeather forecasters say some relief is in sight thanks to the expected development of showers and thunderstorms and a sneaky front from the north and east.
It felt like the middle of summer in parts of the region this past weekend. New York City's Central Park finally reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit and higher Sunday afternoon for the first time in 2021. Several record high temperatures were broken both Saturday and Sunday across the region, with Sunday being the most impressive so far in most areas.
Newark, New Jersey, led the way by soaring to 97 F Sunday, knocking the previous record of 94 from 2010 out of the park. Queens, New York, and Burlington, Vermont, followed with record-breaking highs of 95 in both locations.
Monday's temperatures were generally similar to top off the three-day heat wave in most cities from Washington, D.C., to Boston.
A heat wave is considered three days or more in a row with high temperatures of 90 degrees or greater for the Northeast region, as defined by the National Weather Service.
"Temperature departures will average 12 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit above normal across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic through Tuesday," said AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok.
Two changes from the weekend to the early week, however, have been a noticeable increase in humidity and the return of thunderstorms.
Humidity levels were lagging behind the surge in temperatures this past weekend. That began to change on Monday with an uptick in moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and, to some extent, the Atlantic Ocean.
The humidity will definitely add a level of discomfort to the heat moving forward through the middle of the week.
Perspiration will not evaporate as quickly and people with respiratory problems may have more difficulty with the higher humidity levels and ongoing warmth.
The more humid conditions will make isolated afternoon showers and thunderstorms more likely across the Northeast early this week, which should help keep temperatures a few degrees lower than where they were this past weekend when most areas stayed dry, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Sadvary.
Afternoon thunderstorms in cities such as Pittsburgh and D.C. on Monday kickstarted a downward trend of temperature, which is expected to last throughout the week.
"Atmospheric ingredients will still keep unseasonably hot conditions in place throughout the region, however, making it feel like the middle of the summer through the midweek," Sadvary said. Some cities can even continue to register high temperatures up to 90 degrees.
Residents of Philadelphia saw a high in the lower 90s on Monday, as storms remained well west of the area. Afternoon thunderstorms rolled through Syracuse, New York, on Monday, but temperatures in the city soared to the lower 90s regardless.
"Given the enhanced moisture in the atmosphere, uncomfortably humid air is expected to linger throughout the region as well," said Sadvary. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures are forecast to reach 100 degrees in some spots each afternoon.
Baltimore neared the target with an afternoon AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperature of 98 F on Monday. On Tuesday and Wednesday, afternoon AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will likely remain in the upper 90s.
"This can lead to an increased risk of dehydration and heat-related illness, especially during strenuous outdoor activity," Sadvary said.
AccuWeather forecasters urge residents to take necessary precautions to check car backseats and to not leave children or pets in hot cars.
As the week continues, the risk for downpours is headed to places like the Ohio Valley for through Wednesday.
"High pressure over the western Atlantic will lead to frequent showers and thunderstorms from the Gulf Coast to the Ohio Valley," said Pastelok.
Slow-moving thunderstorms developed on Monday, and brought flooding downpours to the Gulf Coast and Southeast from eastern Texas to Georgia. The opportunity for these slow-moving storms will shift eastward into midweek.
Those weary of the hot and muggy weather can look forward to the weekend.
"A bit of relief in the heat and humidity will arrive toward the end of the week as a cold front passes through the Northeast," Sadvary said.
Rather than sweeping from the Midwest to the Northeast, which is the more common route for cool air, the front will push from New England to the mid-Atlantic and central Appalachians, or southwestward, rather than southeastward.
This change is expected to bring back seasonable conditions spanning Thursday night to Friday night, but the weather is not likely to be dry everywhere heading into the weekend.
“While the weather this weekend will not be as dramatically cooler and as rainy as the Memorial Day weekend, it will still be significantly cooler, and there may be some showers to dodge as well,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dean DeVore said.
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New York City, which generally reports high temperatures in the upper 70s in early June, is expected to dive over 20 degrees from last Sunday's 92 F to a high of 68 this Friday. Boston, which soared to 94 F on Sunday, is anticipated to also have high temperatures in the upper 60s on Friday.
There are more temperature fluctuations on the way, however.
Temperatures are forecast to trend upward and close to seasonable averages later this weekend to early next week.
But, as heat builds over the West and spills back across the Plains, it may encounter some resistance farther to the east. Temperatures may level off to within a few degrees of 80 in most locations.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
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News / Weather Forecasts
Storms to take a chunk out of Northeast heat wave
By Jessica Storm, AccuWeather Meteorologist
Updated Jun 8, 2021 5:57 PM EST
As the Northeast continues to bake under the first heat wave of the season, AccuWeather forecasters say some relief is in sight thanks to the expected development of showers and thunderstorms and a sneaky front from the north and east.
It felt like the middle of summer in parts of the region this past weekend. New York City's Central Park finally reached 90 degrees Fahrenheit and higher Sunday afternoon for the first time in 2021. Several record high temperatures were broken both Saturday and Sunday across the region, with Sunday being the most impressive so far in most areas.
Newark, New Jersey, led the way by soaring to 97 F Sunday, knocking the previous record of 94 from 2010 out of the park. Queens, New York, and Burlington, Vermont, followed with record-breaking highs of 95 in both locations.
Monday's temperatures were generally similar to top off the three-day heat wave in most cities from Washington, D.C., to Boston.
A heat wave is considered three days or more in a row with high temperatures of 90 degrees or greater for the Northeast region, as defined by the National Weather Service.
"Temperature departures will average 12 to 25 degrees Fahrenheit above normal across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic through Tuesday," said AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok.
Two changes from the weekend to the early week, however, have been a noticeable increase in humidity and the return of thunderstorms.
Humidity levels were lagging behind the surge in temperatures this past weekend. That began to change on Monday with an uptick in moisture from the Gulf of Mexico and, to some extent, the Atlantic Ocean.
The humidity will definitely add a level of discomfort to the heat moving forward through the middle of the week.
Perspiration will not evaporate as quickly and people with respiratory problems may have more difficulty with the higher humidity levels and ongoing warmth.
The more humid conditions will make isolated afternoon showers and thunderstorms more likely across the Northeast early this week, which should help keep temperatures a few degrees lower than where they were this past weekend when most areas stayed dry, according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Adam Sadvary.
Afternoon thunderstorms in cities such as Pittsburgh and D.C. on Monday kickstarted a downward trend of temperature, which is expected to last throughout the week.
"Atmospheric ingredients will still keep unseasonably hot conditions in place throughout the region, however, making it feel like the middle of the summer through the midweek," Sadvary said. Some cities can even continue to register high temperatures up to 90 degrees.
Residents of Philadelphia saw a high in the lower 90s on Monday, as storms remained well west of the area. Afternoon thunderstorms rolled through Syracuse, New York, on Monday, but temperatures in the city soared to the lower 90s regardless.
"Given the enhanced moisture in the atmosphere, uncomfortably humid air is expected to linger throughout the region as well," said Sadvary. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures are forecast to reach 100 degrees in some spots each afternoon.
Baltimore neared the target with an afternoon AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperature of 98 F on Monday. On Tuesday and Wednesday, afternoon AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will likely remain in the upper 90s.
"This can lead to an increased risk of dehydration and heat-related illness, especially during strenuous outdoor activity," Sadvary said.
AccuWeather forecasters urge residents to take necessary precautions to check car backseats and to not leave children or pets in hot cars.
As the week continues, the risk for downpours is headed to places like the Ohio Valley for through Wednesday.
"High pressure over the western Atlantic will lead to frequent showers and thunderstorms from the Gulf Coast to the Ohio Valley," said Pastelok.
Slow-moving thunderstorms developed on Monday, and brought flooding downpours to the Gulf Coast and Southeast from eastern Texas to Georgia. The opportunity for these slow-moving storms will shift eastward into midweek.
Those weary of the hot and muggy weather can look forward to the weekend.
"A bit of relief in the heat and humidity will arrive toward the end of the week as a cold front passes through the Northeast," Sadvary said.
Rather than sweeping from the Midwest to the Northeast, which is the more common route for cool air, the front will push from New England to the mid-Atlantic and central Appalachians, or southwestward, rather than southeastward.
This change is expected to bring back seasonable conditions spanning Thursday night to Friday night, but the weather is not likely to be dry everywhere heading into the weekend.
“While the weather this weekend will not be as dramatically cooler and as rainy as the Memorial Day weekend, it will still be significantly cooler, and there may be some showers to dodge as well,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Dean DeVore said.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
New York City, which generally reports high temperatures in the upper 70s in early June, is expected to dive over 20 degrees from last Sunday's 92 F to a high of 68 this Friday. Boston, which soared to 94 F on Sunday, is anticipated to also have high temperatures in the upper 60s on Friday.
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There are more temperature fluctuations on the way, however.
Temperatures are forecast to trend upward and close to seasonable averages later this weekend to early next week.
But, as heat builds over the West and spills back across the Plains, it may encounter some resistance farther to the east. Temperatures may level off to within a few degrees of 80 in most locations.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo