Gusty thundershowers with hail to mark arrival of brief chill in northeastern US

Motorists and people spending time outdoors in the northeastern United States should keep an eye to the sky on Saturday as gusty thundershowers are forecast to erupt.

The quick-moving thundershowers will mark the leading edge of a bubble of chilly air that will settle over the region this weekend.

"Ahead of the storms, temperatures will jump into the 60s and 70s along much of the Interstate 95 corridor on Saturday, thanks to several hours of morning and midday sunshine," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Jake Sojda.

"The warmth will provide the extra vertical push in the atmosphere for showers to quickly erupt and develop into thundershowers," Sojda said.

In this sort of weather pattern, the weather may change in a matter of minutes from sunny to stormy. The sudden downpours and poor visibility can be a hazard for motorists.

Some of the thundershowers may also produce strong, gusty winds.

"Since the upper levels of the atmosphere will be chilly to start with and will get colder as the day progresses, a number of the thundershowers may produce pea- to marble-sized hail," Sojda said.

While the showers and thundershowers are expected to be brief, some locations may be hit by more than one downpour, especially near the lower Great Lakes and central and northern Appalachians.

"Even though lightning strikes are not expected to be frequent, it only takes one strike to cause harm," Sojda said.

Seek shelter indoors at the first sign of a storm. Golf carts and picnic pavilions do not offer adequate protection from lightning.

Blustery and chilly conditions will follow Saturday night and Sunday.

A couple of showers are likely from the northern tier of Pennsylvania to Maine on Sunday. Wet snowflakes may mix in over the higher ground.

A freeze will visit many areas north and west of the I-95 cities on Sunday night.

However, as quickly as the chill moves in, it will leave early next week.

A dramatic warmup is in store for the Great Lakes and mid-Atlantic region on Monday and then New England on Tuesday.

During next week, a number of days will feature highs ranging from the upper 60s and 70s across the northern tier and the upper 70s and 80s elsewhere.

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