Warmer, drier Memorial Day ahead for northeastern US
By
Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published May 21, 2020 5:03 PM EDT
The same storm system responsible for flooding rain and dam failures in Michigan focused its wrath on the southern Appalachians and Piedmont from Wednesday to Thursday, affected part of the Northeast at the beginning of the extended holiday weekend. However, better weather conditions have since arrived in time for Memorial Day.
Saturday, the storm system brought a swath of rain and even a few rumbles of thunder from Pennsylvania to southern New England.
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Sunday, the storm finally moved offshore, with dry air and a good deal of sunshine returning to the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
People in northern New England got a taste of warmth on Friday, with several locations including Manchester, New Hampshire recording a temperature more than 15 degrees Fahrenheit above normal. Temperatures slid back a bit on Saturday in northern New England, but farther south, Mother Nature has her finger poised on the warmth button. Will she push it?
"There is great upward potential with temperatures over the Appalachians, northern New England and perhaps areas farther south in New England and the mid-Atlantic this week," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.
Areas inland of the coast are likely to have the most positive temperature response with highs forecast to trend from the upper 50s and 60s to the 70s to near 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
"There is the potential for a near-heat wave to develop this week as an atmospheric roadblock sets up with the stalled storm offshore over the Atlantic," Pastelok said.
By Tuesday, temperatures will soar into the 80s across the Northeast and into southeastern Canada. Some places in interior southern New England as well as the Ohio Valley could flirt with 90 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The temperature forecast along the immediate coast from Massachusetts to Virginia and North Carolina is a bit more complex.
Should the storm linger near the coast, then weather conditions may remain chilly, windy and perhaps cloudy along the Interstate 95 corridor and the beaches during the second half of the weekend.
People get some fresh air at Orchard Beach in the Bronx borough of New York, Sunday, May 17, 2020. Parks, boardwalks and beaches attracted some crowds last weekend, though city beaches aren't officially open and won't be for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
If the storm moves a few hundred miles out to sea, then sunshine will return with an active cool sea breeze suppressing temperatures along the coast and temperatures soaring just inland.
In any case, people who plan on heading to the beaches can expect cold water typical of Memorial Day weekend. For example, surf temperatures at Atlantic City, New Jersey, were in the middle 50s on Thursday and are not likely to recover more than a few degrees over the weekend.
Surf temperatures range from the middle 40s along the Maine coast to the lower 60s in southeastern Virginia. At these temperatures, there is a high risk of cold water shock. And, chilly water won't be the only risk for swimmers and bathers who dare to take a plunge in the Atlantic.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will also make a visit to the beach look different for the unofficial start to the summer.
The weather on Memorial Day should provide an excellent opportunity to go fishing or for a long walk or hike while practicing social distancing.
Warmth is predicted to become more widespread over the region, including the immediate coastal areas, during the final days of May.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Weather Forecasts
Warmer, drier Memorial Day ahead for northeastern US
By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published May 21, 2020 5:03 PM EDT
The same storm system responsible for flooding rain and dam failures in Michigan focused its wrath on the southern Appalachians and Piedmont from Wednesday to Thursday, affected part of the Northeast at the beginning of the extended holiday weekend. However, better weather conditions have since arrived in time for Memorial Day.
Saturday, the storm system brought a swath of rain and even a few rumbles of thunder from Pennsylvania to southern New England.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Sunday, the storm finally moved offshore, with dry air and a good deal of sunshine returning to the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
People in northern New England got a taste of warmth on Friday, with several locations including Manchester, New Hampshire recording a temperature more than 15 degrees Fahrenheit above normal. Temperatures slid back a bit on Saturday in northern New England, but farther south, Mother Nature has her finger poised on the warmth button. Will she push it?
"There is great upward potential with temperatures over the Appalachians, northern New England and perhaps areas farther south in New England and the mid-Atlantic this week," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.
Areas inland of the coast are likely to have the most positive temperature response with highs forecast to trend from the upper 50s and 60s to the 70s to near 80 degrees Fahrenheit.
"There is the potential for a near-heat wave to develop this week as an atmospheric roadblock sets up with the stalled storm offshore over the Atlantic," Pastelok said.
By Tuesday, temperatures will soar into the 80s across the Northeast and into southeastern Canada. Some places in interior southern New England as well as the Ohio Valley could flirt with 90 degrees on Tuesday and Wednesday.
The temperature forecast along the immediate coast from Massachusetts to Virginia and North Carolina is a bit more complex.
Should the storm linger near the coast, then weather conditions may remain chilly, windy and perhaps cloudy along the Interstate 95 corridor and the beaches during the second half of the weekend.
People get some fresh air at Orchard Beach in the Bronx borough of New York, Sunday, May 17, 2020. Parks, boardwalks and beaches attracted some crowds last weekend, though city beaches aren't officially open and won't be for the upcoming Memorial Day weekend. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig)
If the storm moves a few hundred miles out to sea, then sunshine will return with an active cool sea breeze suppressing temperatures along the coast and temperatures soaring just inland.
In any case, people who plan on heading to the beaches can expect cold water typical of Memorial Day weekend. For example, surf temperatures at Atlantic City, New Jersey, were in the middle 50s on Thursday and are not likely to recover more than a few degrees over the weekend.
Surf temperatures range from the middle 40s along the Maine coast to the lower 60s in southeastern Virginia. At these temperatures, there is a high risk of cold water shock. And, chilly water won't be the only risk for swimmers and bathers who dare to take a plunge in the Atlantic.
The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic will also make a visit to the beach look different for the unofficial start to the summer.
Related:
The weather on Memorial Day should provide an excellent opportunity to go fishing or for a long walk or hike while practicing social distancing.
Warmth is predicted to become more widespread over the region, including the immediate coastal areas, during the final days of May.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo