Unseasonably cool pattern to bring record-challenging temperatures to Great Lakes, Northeast
A fall preview will challenge some long-standing cool records through the holiday weekend across much of the Midwestern and eastern United States.
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Cool, fall-like weather will have people reaching for jeans and sweatshirts rather than shorts and bathing suits across the Great Lakes and Northeast into the Labor Day weekend, according to AccuWeather meteorologists.
Temperatures more common for October will trend as much as 15 degrees below historical averages, with near-record lows at night for many locations. Daytime highs will range from the 60s to 70s, with nighttime lows in the 40s and 50s.
"Air conditioners will continue to see a break, and nights will be cool and comfortable for sleeping," said AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty.
The stretch of cool weather began earlier this week following a cold front that allowed Canadian air to surge into the Midwest and Northeast.
Following a burst of chilly air into midweek, this latest cool push will stick around through the holiday weekend.
"A fresh area of high pressure will move from Canada into the Northeast over the weekend and remain in place for the Labor Day holiday," said Douty. "Most locations will experience comfortable days with a good deal of sunshine and chilly nights."
In addition to nighttime record lows, record-cool daytime highs may also be threatened.
"Buffalo, New York, will experience temperatures in the wheel house for the lowest high temperature on record for Aug. 29 of 63 degrees set in 1982," pointed out AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Chad Merrill. "Saturday morning will bring the lowest morning temperatures, with a few spots across northern Vermont and Maine potentially experiencing a touch of frost."
One practical outcome of the early-season cool weather could be the early closing of municipal pools.
"The pools will be less crowded than they would be otherwise for the last weekend of the season for which they are open," added Merrill.
Another consequence of the cool weather may be the presence of funnel clouds and waterspouts over the Great Lakes. In recent days, weather spotters have reported harmless cold water funnels over Lake Erie, a common fall occurrence as cool air moves over the relatively warm lake waters.
Another accompaniment to the cooler air for the Labor Day weekend will be dry weather for most, but not all.
Alongside the cooler air, much of the region will experience dry conditions over the Labor Day weekend, but a few exceptions remain.
"One of the few areas that will have a chance of rain will be across Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine where a few showers may develop over the weekend," said Douty.
Those heading to the shore points for the weekend, a new round of rough surf and strong rip currents is forecast for the mid-Atlantic beaches.
Even though conditions should be far less intense than that of Erin, there can still be dangers for swimmers.
With the calendar flipping to September over the extended holiday weekend, more bursts of cool air are on the horizon. However, a major outbreak of chilly air is building for the middle and latter part of next week that could reset season low marks.
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