Much of the first week of September will feel like the middle of July in the eastern and central United States as temperatures soar and high humidity levels hold on.

Don't put away the fans, air conditioners and shorts just yet as a large high pressure system, known as the Bermuda High, will hold firm over the East this week.

At the same time, the jet stream will bulge northward.

Unlike the setup that brought high humidity and frequent torrential downpours to much of the region during July and August, many areas from the Ohio Valley to the Carolinas, mid-Atlantic and New England coasts will be free of rain most of the time this week with some exceptions.

"Heat this time of the year can be especially rough," according to AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams.

"The majority of students are back to school after Labor Day and many of the older schools in the region do not have air conditioning."

Just because the calendar says September, people should not take the risk of heat related illnesses lightly. Be sure to drink plenty of non-alcoholic fluids and seek a cool environment at the first sign of dizziness.

Strenuous exercise and manual labor should be limited to the early morning or evening hours.

AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will generally average 10 degrees higher than the actual temperature when the sun is up.

Expect high temperatures through Thursday to average in the 90s along the Interstate-95 corridor, Ohio Valley and the Carolinas. Temperatures will climb well into the 80s to near 90 over the Appalachians and lower Great Lakes region.

"Temperatures will fluctuate more across New England," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski said. "However, there will be more than one day of highs around 90 F in Boston."

What you should do if you get stuck driving in floodwaters

Experts share nutrition tips for reducing heat illness risk among youth athletes

Heat exhaustion vs. heatstroke: What are the warning signs and how should you react?

Several Atlantic tropical threats to join Florence into mid-September; US at risk for additional hits

Cooler air will reach much of the region on Friday. Temperatures in most areas will be slashed by 10 to 15 degrees. However, humidity levels are likely to remain elevated through the weekend.

Download the free AccuWeather app to see how hot your location will get and for how long.

For those that have the opportunity, the weather will offer an extension of good swimming conditions at the beach, lake and backyard pool. Water temperatures are close to their warmest point of the entire year into early September.

The hot, but less-rainy conditions may assist with the harvest.

Dry spell follows very wet, humid but warm summer

Many locations in the mid-Atlantic, Midwest and southern Atlantic coastal areas received two to four times their average monthly rainfall during July and August.

A number of locations in Pennsylvania have had their wettest summer on record, including State College, Williamsport and Reading. These locations and others have received in the neighborhood of 2 feet of rain during the three-month period ending on Aug. 31.

Despite the excess rainfall, temperatures have averaged above normal in many areas.

The combination of warmth and wetness have resulted in one of the most humid summers in recent memory.

Wet conditions may return

Beginning late this week and into the middle of September, the weather pattern may turn wet and unsettled in part of the region.

"It looks like some cooler and drier air will slice across the Great Lakes and northern New England areas," according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Eric Leister.

"It is questionable as to how far south that dry and cooler air advance in the Midwest and the East," Leister said.

Moisture from Gordon is forecast to link up with a non-tropical storm along the stalled temperature boundary and cause excessive rainfall.

In addition to spotty tropical downpours in the Deep South and along the Atlantic coast, a swath of heavy rain and flooding problems may arise in parts of the Midwest and interior Northeast by this weekend.

Flooding may occur at a much faster pace than would typically occur this time of the year.

Usually during early September, small stream and river levels are near their lowest point. However, due to the excessive rainfall in many locations this summer, water levels are high and the ground is saturated or nearly saturated.

It would not take a tropical storm or hurricane to cause major flooding. A mere slow-moving non-tropical system could cause such destruction.

Report a Typo