Summerlike warmth to surge into eastern third of US
Warmth that has been penned up thus far this spring will build over the South and surge into the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic states to end the weekend. However, the warmth may come at the price of severe weather.
Millions will be pulling out shorts and short sleeves in the eastern third of the nation.
For many locations, Sunday will bring the warmest weather of the year so far. The weather will feel like summertime in the Northern states when compared to the persistent cool conditions and frequent rainfall this spring.
Warmth will even bust loose for many areas that had snow early last week in the Northeast.
For example, in Saranac Lake, New York, snow fell on Tuesday. However, on Sunday, highs are expected to be in the middle 70s F.
Sunday's highs are forecast to range from the middle 70s in the upper part of the mid-Atlantic to the 80s and near 90 in portions of the Ohio Valley and lower mid-Atlantic.
Washington, D.C., and Richmond, Virginia, have a shot at reaching 90 for the first time this year.
Ball games, graduations and weddings will take place in summery conditions. However, those outdoors will need to keep a close eye to the sky.
Showers and severe thunderstorms are forecast to make eastward progress from the central Great Lakes to the Northeast on Sunday.
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Along with the warmth will be an uptick in humidity that could reach uncomfortable levels in the large cities for hot-weather sensitive individuals.
Where a breeze blows off the ocean, temperatures can be held back by 10-20 degrees on the immediate coast. Highs will be near 60 in northern Maine, where cool air will also fight on.
Across the South, highs are expected to range from the middle 80s to the lower 90s.
One thing to keep in mind this time of the year is that regardless of how high the air temperature gets, lakes, streams and the ocean are still quite chilly, especially across the northern half of the region. Those entering the water, even for a few minutes will be at risk for the consequences of cold water shock that can range from muscle cramps to difficulty breathing and hypothermia.
Warmth is expected to hold on along the Eastern Seaboard on Monday, but may carry on over much of the South through the week.
Cooler air is forecast to progress eastward over the Midwest on Monday and the Northeast by Tuesday. Temperatures are likely to be trimmed by 10-15 degrees.
