Tumultuous temperatures, frost risk to continue through mid-May in Midwest, Northeast
A roller coaster ride of temperature extremes, punctuated by some afternoons worthy of shorts, but also mornings with frosts and freezes, will continue through mid-May before a warmer pattern takes hold.
Bernie Rayno looks at the frost risk in the Northeast for next week and when a warmer pattern could settle in.
The wild temperature swings that the Midwest and Northeast have endured since April show no signs of ebbing through mid-May, as AccuWeather meteorologists say conditions will remain on the cooler side through this week.
"For those itching to get out in the garden and get plants in the ground across the Midwest and parts of the interior Northeast, waves of chilly air diving southward out of Canada through the middle of this week may put those plans on hold," warned AccuWeather Meteorologist Brandon Buckingham.
While the risk of frosts and freezes will reemerge for some in the coming days, it is not all bad news, as brief episodes of nice weather will intermingle with the chill, along with much-needed rainfall.
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Cool, frosty conditions early week, but how long will it last?
By the start of the new week, the cool weather will stretch from Minnesota to Massachusetts and everywhere in between. A pair of mornings will bring additional chances for late-season frosts and freezes, yet again delaying the start of the growing season for millions.
On Monday morning, a large swath of the Midwest and western and central Great Lakes region, especially outside of metropolitan areas and away from large bodies of water, will again experience temperatures near or below freezing for a few hours, potentially damaging sensitive plants.
By Tuesday morning, this zone will shift east, encompassing the eastern Great Lakes, the interior Northeast and the Catskills to West Virginia. Even the near-suburbs of some big cities like Buffalo, Cleveland and Pittsburgh will be at risk of a damaging frost if winds are light enough.
A hard freeze can even occur in some sheltered valleys in northern Ohio, northwestern Pennsylvania and upstate New York, severely compromising any gardens already planted.
In between and beyond the chilly nights through midweek, temperatures will only manage to top out in the 50s and 60s for most, about 10-15 degrees below average for mid-May.
For those pining for warmer, more summerlike conditions, which were briefly experienced in mid-April and again earlier last week, there is some good news in the longer-range forecast.
According to AccuWeather's team of long-range forecasters, much of the second half of the month will feel more like late spring should, if not warmer.
"This may end up being a good time to catch up with outdoor projects and gardens," said AccuWeather Lead Long Range Forecaster Paul Pastelok. "Across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, it may also be a good period for pool openings right around the Memorial Day holiday weekend."
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