Northeast poised for quick cooldown before heat returns late this week

The early-week break from summerlike heat in the Northeast will be short-lived, as temperatures return to the 80s later this week.

The push of cooler air is coming on the heels of cooling showers and thunderstorms that brought locally heavy downpours and strong, gusty winds to the Northeast on Monday. Ahead of these storms, summerlike warmth baked the Interstate 95 corridor.

Boston reached 80 F for the first time this year just prior to noon on Monday. The city's average first 80-degree day is May 4, according to the National Weather Service.

The thunderstorms were associated with a cold front that will bring a dramatic change to the entirety of the Northeast on Tuesday.

"In what will be a mainly warm week and weekend ahead, much of the mid-Atlantic and Northeast will have a break from the warm and humid air on Tuesday and Wednesday," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rathbun.

High temperatures will be reduced by as much as 10-15 degrees Fahrenheit from Monday's highs. Temperatures in the lower 70s in Maryland to the upper 50s in upstate New York will provide more comfortable conditions for doing any lawn maintenance or outdoor activities.

The break from the heat will only last a short while. By Thursday, the mercury will be rising again.

By late in the week, the heat building across the Southeast will expand into the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, returning temperatures to the 70s and 80s F, similar to at the start of the week.

Once again, the air will feel more oppressive. More sensitive groups will notice a difference in the air quality, which could make outdoor activities more difficult, especially during the hottest part of the day.

Residents in the Northeast should be sure to have a cool place to retreat to, as well as drink plenty of water in order to remain hydrated.

The beaches will be one place to go. Where a breeze blows off the ocean, temperatures can be held back by as much as 10 degrees on the immediate coast.

These areas will also be at risk for an occasional weak system with a few showers and thunderstorms through week's end and into Memorial Day weekend. However, outside of any rain, sunshine will lead to warm, humid weather for many of the days into next week.

Download the free AccuWeather app to get the latest forecast for your area. Keep checking back for updates on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.

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