Sunny, milder conditions to highlight northeastern US into early week

People itching to get outside in the Northeast will have a great opportunity to do so into early week as sunny and more seasonable weather builds.

“After a several-day stretch of cool, damp and, in some areas, snowy conditions, the weather has turned much nicer in the Northeast,” said AccuWeather Meteorologist Ryan Adamson.

During the first three weeks of the month, temperatures averaged 4-9 degrees Fahrenheit below normal from the Ohio Valley to the central Appalachians and New England.

While temperatures will trend upward toward seasonable levels each day into Monday, dressing in layers will still be a necessity for anyone out early in the day or in the evening.

“The nighttime and early morning hours will be chilly and frosty in many locations, but strong late-April sunshine should make the afternoon hours tolerable for even those who mind a slight chill,” said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski.

While a return of the 80-degree weather that graced the mid-Atlantic during the middle of the month is not in store, afternoon temperatures in the 50s and 60s, combined with plenty of sunshine, will feel warmer to most people given the chill of late.

The dry, milder stretch will give residents an excellent opportunity to head to a baseball game, hike, golf, fire up the grill or complete outdoor projects.

Gardeners should not be too quick to begin planting, especially sensitive vegetation, as there will still be a risk of frosty conditions during the overnight hours into the end of April and beginning of May. This risk will be greatest over interior areas and the higher terrain.

How long will the tranquil stretch last?

The number of rain-free days in the Northeast will be limited as a storm from the South Central states sweeps eastward and then makes a turn to the north.

Since this week’s storm will come from the South and not from the Upper Midwest, and cold air will be lacking, precipitation will come in the form of rain rather than snow, according to Sosnowski.

The sunglasses that will get ample use over the next few days will need to be traded for umbrellas and rain jackets by the middle of the week.

“By Tuesday, the chance of rain will arrive in part of the mid-Atlantic, with most of the Northeast running the risk of rain by Wednesday,” Adamson said.

The Interstate-95 corridor from Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia, New York City and Boston could receive enough rain to trigger slow downs on the roadways and flight delays around the middle of the week.

Depending on the exact speed of the storm, the resurgence of cloudy, damp conditions may linger for multiple days.

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