Colder air to sweep across tornado-ravaged southeastern US late this week

Residents picking up the pieces after violent thunderstorms ripped through the southeastern United States will face the return of wintry air late this week.

It felt more like early spring across the Deep South on Wednesday with high temperatures in the 70sF from New Orleans to Atlanta and Raleigh, North Carolina.

Temperatures will be slashed by 10 to 20 degrees Fahrenheit in the wake of a front.

“A cold front will push eastward through the Southeast [into] Thursday,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Kyle Elliott said.

“For storm-weary residents who were slammed with severe weather and tornadoes this past weekend, a repeat of the situation is thankfully not in store with this storm,” he added.

Showers will mark the leading edge of the cool air, with the potential for a few rumbles of thunder.

Behind the front, the door will be opened for much cooler air to arrive on Thursday.

“Temperatures will struggle to reach the mid-50s in many locations through the Southeast on Thursday,” Elliott said.

Those assessing damage and beginning the cleanup and rebuilding process may need a jacket despite sunny and dry conditions. This will also serve as an ideal time for cleanup conditions for residents in areas along the coastal Northeast who suffered damage from the same storm system.

Temperatures around sunrise will be near the freezing mark by Friday.

While this will be a return to more seasonable conditions, it could be a shock to some given the extreme warmth since the second week of January.

Temperatures have averaged 15 to 20 degrees above normal from Hattiesburg to Atlanta and Albany, Georgia, since Jan. 11.

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