Will warmer weather return to the eastern US for the start of spring this week?
By
Renee Duff, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Mar 14, 2020 10:24 AM EDT
As the coronavirus pandemic affects almost every aspect of daily life, many wonder if warm weather will inhibit the spread of the virus. AccuWeather founder and CEO Dr. Joel Myers shares his insights.
Following waves of chilly air in the eastern United States, a warming trend late week will be right on cue with the first days of spring.
However, forecasters say the transition from cool to warm may come with complications from Mother Nature.
Thursday, March 19, is the official start of spring and the earliest start to the season in 124 years.
Prior to spring's arrival, another dose of cool air swept into the Northeast over the weekend, which is expected to linger through at least Monday.
Many locations will warm up a bit on Tuesday, before another chilly day follows for Wednesday.
"Despite mainly sunny skies on Wednesday, highs will be about 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit lower than Tuesday as another cold, Canadian high pressure system settles into southern New England," AccuWeather Meteorologist Kyle Elliott said.
Wednesday's highs will range from the 30s across New England to the 40s and 50s in the mid-Atlantic, but the strong March sunshine and light winds should make it feel warmer.
AccuWeather meteorologists say a storm system will arrive on the heels of the chilly air, which could lead to a brief shot of wintry conditions heading into Thursday.
"We'll have to monitor how quickly precipitation returns and how low temperatures fall on Wednesday night," Elliott said.
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"If precipitation arrives quickly and at just the right time, it may start out as a brief period of snow, or a mix of rain and snow, in areas north and west of the Interstate-95 corridor from eastern Pennsylvania to Maine," he added.
Regardless, the first day of spring could wind up being downright raw in parts of New England with rain and temperatures generally in the 40s.
Farther south, in cities like New York City and Pittsburgh, wet weather will be accompanied with temperatures in the 50s.
By Thursday night and Friday, yet another storm is expected to move into the region, with periods of rain setting up along a boundary dividing cold air to the north and warmth to the south.
This next storm is expected to first unleash severe weather and a snowstorm across the center of the country during the middle and latter portion of the week.
Where exactly the temperature boundary sets up across the East at the week's end will determine which locations will be rainy with temperatures in the 40s and 50s, or mainly dry with temperatures soaring into the 60s and 70s.
Raleigh, North Carolina, could soar into the mid-80s on Friday afternoon.
Farther north, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, even New York City could end the week in the 70s, with 60s possible in Boston.
Another batch of cool air may settle in behind the storm in time for this weekend. This timeframe is now expected to be the peak bloom dates for the cherry blossoms in the nation's capital.
Along with the cooler conditions, AccuWeather meteorologists are forecasting a dry weekend in much of the Northeast.
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
Will warmer weather return to the eastern US for the start of spring this week?
By Renee Duff, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Published Mar 14, 2020 10:24 AM EDT
As the coronavirus pandemic affects almost every aspect of daily life, many wonder if warm weather will inhibit the spread of the virus. AccuWeather founder and CEO Dr. Joel Myers shares his insights.
Following waves of chilly air in the eastern United States, a warming trend late week will be right on cue with the first days of spring.
However, forecasters say the transition from cool to warm may come with complications from Mother Nature.
Thursday, March 19, is the official start of spring and the earliest start to the season in 124 years.
Prior to spring's arrival, another dose of cool air swept into the Northeast over the weekend, which is expected to linger through at least Monday.
Many locations will warm up a bit on Tuesday, before another chilly day follows for Wednesday.
"Despite mainly sunny skies on Wednesday, highs will be about 5-10 degrees Fahrenheit lower than Tuesday as another cold, Canadian high pressure system settles into southern New England," AccuWeather Meteorologist Kyle Elliott said.
Wednesday's highs will range from the 30s across New England to the 40s and 50s in the mid-Atlantic, but the strong March sunshine and light winds should make it feel warmer.
AccuWeather meteorologists say a storm system will arrive on the heels of the chilly air, which could lead to a brief shot of wintry conditions heading into Thursday.
"We'll have to monitor how quickly precipitation returns and how low temperatures fall on Wednesday night," Elliott said.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
"If precipitation arrives quickly and at just the right time, it may start out as a brief period of snow, or a mix of rain and snow, in areas north and west of the Interstate-95 corridor from eastern Pennsylvania to Maine," he added.
Regardless, the first day of spring could wind up being downright raw in parts of New England with rain and temperatures generally in the 40s.
Farther south, in cities like New York City and Pittsburgh, wet weather will be accompanied with temperatures in the 50s.
By Thursday night and Friday, yet another storm is expected to move into the region, with periods of rain setting up along a boundary dividing cold air to the north and warmth to the south.
This next storm is expected to first unleash severe weather and a snowstorm across the center of the country during the middle and latter portion of the week.
Where exactly the temperature boundary sets up across the East at the week's end will determine which locations will be rainy with temperatures in the 40s and 50s, or mainly dry with temperatures soaring into the 60s and 70s.
Related:
Raleigh, North Carolina, could soar into the mid-80s on Friday afternoon.
Farther north, Washington, D.C., Baltimore, Philadelphia, even New York City could end the week in the 70s, with 60s possible in Boston.
Another batch of cool air may settle in behind the storm in time for this weekend. This timeframe is now expected to be the peak bloom dates for the cherry blossoms in the nation's capital.
Along with the cooler conditions, AccuWeather meteorologists are forecasting a dry weekend in much of the Northeast.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo