Weather whiplash remains in the forecast for central, eastern US
By
Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Dec 11, 2020 6:19 PM EST
The same weather pattern that is fueling record-shattering warmth across the Rockies and Plains this week will spread eastward and end the chilly stretch gripping the Midwest and eastern United States. However, forecasters are warning Americans in these regions not to get too used to the warmth as a long-track, winterlike storm is forecast to soon arrive, and it will usher in another cooldown in its wake.
Temperatures soared into the 60s F as far to the north as portions of Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska and the Dakotas on Tuesday. Dickinson, North Dakota; Great Falls, Montana; Rapid City, South Dakota; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Sheridan, Wyoming, were all warmer than Orlando, Tampa and Daytona Beach, Florida, where highs were in the 50s.
Warm air pooled across the South-Central states on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020 as a storm gathered across the Southwest. The storm will continue to trend of weather whiplash across parts of the central and eastern U.S. (NOAA / GOES-EAST)
And the warm streak isn't over yet in the central U.S. after highs crushed a slew of new records on Tuesday and Wednesday. Temperatures will climb to levels more typical of the middle of October or late April rather than the middle of December over portions of the Plains into Thursday.
"Dozens of locations over the Rockies and Plains set record highs on Tuesday," AccuWeather Meteorologist Jesse Ferrell said.
Rapid City shattered its record of 62 set in 1984 on Tuesday, when the temperature maxed out at 68. In north-central and southwestern Montana alone, seven locations, including Great Falls, Cut Bank and Bozeman, set daily record highs on Tuesday.
Austin, Texas; Fayetteville, Arkansas; and Broken Bow, Nebraska established new record highs on Wednesday.
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On Thursday, Columbia, Missouri and Quincy, Illinois tied record highs of 69 degrees and 63 degrees, respectively.
"A number of locations also set records for mild conditions at night with lows in the 40s and 50s," Ferrell said.
A wedge of cool air will advance across the Rockies and northern Plains beyond midweek, but as that happens, warmer air will spread eastward. Warmth is forecast to hold on over the southern Plains and bulge northward across the Midwest into Friday. Warmer conditions will also expand across the Appalachians and Atlantic coast on Friday and continue through Saturday.
The warmth in store for the Midwest and East is not expected to reach levels experienced over portions of the Rockies and High Plains, but temperatures are likely to soar to 5 to 15 degrees above average. Highs will be more typical of the mid-November or mid-March.
Temperatures around Chicago topped out at 57 degrees, while St. Louis soared to 66 degrees on Thursday. During this weekend, highs are projected to range from the middle 40s in northern Vermont to the lower 60s in eastern Virginia and the lower 70s in coastal areas of South Carolina and Georgia. Since temperatures in the Eastern states will not be as extremely high as those felt in the Central states, when compared to average, daily records are likely to remain in tact in most locations.
Sunshine will generally accompany the warmth on Friday in the East, but a storm brewing in the Southwest on Tuesday will head northeastward and bring areas of rain and spotty showers to much of the eastern third of the nation during part of the weekend. Where the sun is out ahead of the storm, some people may be able to leave the heat off in their car and leave heavy winter gear at home when venturing out to pick up groceries or doing holiday shopping.
Dramatic weather changes will continue to cause weather whiplash for some areas into late-week. For areas around Chicago and other parts of the Midwest and central Plains, the next storm on deck is expected to bring accumulating snow and send temperatures within a few degrees of the freezing mark by this weekend.
The colder air will sweep eastward early next week following the weekend rain in the East. But, rather than a huge dip with temperatures well below average, conditions should trend to near normal for a couple of days.
On Monday, highs are forecast to range from the middle 30s in Burlington, Vermont, and Chicago, to the middle 40s in New York City and St. Louis, the lower 50s in Columbia, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina, and the upper 60s in Savannah, Georgia, and Tallahassee, Florida.
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
Weather whiplash remains in the forecast for central, eastern US
By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Dec 11, 2020 6:19 PM EST
The same weather pattern that is fueling record-shattering warmth across the Rockies and Plains this week will spread eastward and end the chilly stretch gripping the Midwest and eastern United States. However, forecasters are warning Americans in these regions not to get too used to the warmth as a long-track, winterlike storm is forecast to soon arrive, and it will usher in another cooldown in its wake.
Temperatures soared into the 60s F as far to the north as portions of Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska and the Dakotas on Tuesday. Dickinson, North Dakota; Great Falls, Montana; Rapid City, South Dakota; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Sheridan, Wyoming, were all warmer than Orlando, Tampa and Daytona Beach, Florida, where highs were in the 50s.
Warm air pooled across the South-Central states on Thursday, Dec. 10, 2020 as a storm gathered across the Southwest. The storm will continue to trend of weather whiplash across parts of the central and eastern U.S. (NOAA / GOES-EAST)
And the warm streak isn't over yet in the central U.S. after highs crushed a slew of new records on Tuesday and Wednesday. Temperatures will climb to levels more typical of the middle of October or late April rather than the middle of December over portions of the Plains into Thursday.
"Dozens of locations over the Rockies and Plains set record highs on Tuesday," AccuWeather Meteorologist Jesse Ferrell said.
Rapid City shattered its record of 62 set in 1984 on Tuesday, when the temperature maxed out at 68. In north-central and southwestern Montana alone, seven locations, including Great Falls, Cut Bank and Bozeman, set daily record highs on Tuesday.
Austin, Texas; Fayetteville, Arkansas; and Broken Bow, Nebraska established new record highs on Wednesday.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
On Thursday, Columbia, Missouri and Quincy, Illinois tied record highs of 69 degrees and 63 degrees, respectively.
"A number of locations also set records for mild conditions at night with lows in the 40s and 50s," Ferrell said.
A wedge of cool air will advance across the Rockies and northern Plains beyond midweek, but as that happens, warmer air will spread eastward. Warmth is forecast to hold on over the southern Plains and bulge northward across the Midwest into Friday. Warmer conditions will also expand across the Appalachians and Atlantic coast on Friday and continue through Saturday.
The warmth in store for the Midwest and East is not expected to reach levels experienced over portions of the Rockies and High Plains, but temperatures are likely to soar to 5 to 15 degrees above average. Highs will be more typical of the mid-November or mid-March.
Temperatures around Chicago topped out at 57 degrees, while St. Louis soared to 66 degrees on Thursday. During this weekend, highs are projected to range from the middle 40s in northern Vermont to the lower 60s in eastern Virginia and the lower 70s in coastal areas of South Carolina and Georgia. Since temperatures in the Eastern states will not be as extremely high as those felt in the Central states, when compared to average, daily records are likely to remain in tact in most locations.
Sunshine will generally accompany the warmth on Friday in the East, but a storm brewing in the Southwest on Tuesday will head northeastward and bring areas of rain and spotty showers to much of the eastern third of the nation during part of the weekend. Where the sun is out ahead of the storm, some people may be able to leave the heat off in their car and leave heavy winter gear at home when venturing out to pick up groceries or doing holiday shopping.
Dramatic weather changes will continue to cause weather whiplash for some areas into late-week. For areas around Chicago and other parts of the Midwest and central Plains, the next storm on deck is expected to bring accumulating snow and send temperatures within a few degrees of the freezing mark by this weekend.
The colder air will sweep eastward early next week following the weekend rain in the East. But, rather than a huge dip with temperatures well below average, conditions should trend to near normal for a couple of days.
Related:
On Monday, highs are forecast to range from the middle 30s in Burlington, Vermont, and Chicago, to the middle 40s in New York City and St. Louis, the lower 50s in Columbia, South Carolina and Charlotte, North Carolina, and the upper 60s in Savannah, Georgia, and Tallahassee, Florida.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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