When will warmth stay put in the midwestern, northeastern US?

The month of May has been on the cool side for most of the midwestern and northeastern United States, leaving many to wonder when lasting warmth will arrive.

Temperatures have averaged 3 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit below average in most locations through the first half of the month.

Typical highs this time of year range from the mid-60s to near 70 F from the northern Plains to northern New England to the mid- to upper 70s from the Missouri Valley to the mid-Atlantic.

For those hoping for a return to springlike warmth this weekend, relief is on the horizon for some, but not for others. In a recent AccuWeather poll asking about preferred weather during May, 76 percent of voters said they like early summer warmth, compared to 24 percent of voters who enjoy cool, April-like days.

“High pressure in the central United States will bring a surge of warmer air to the Midwest, while a storm will bring cooler and unsettled weather to the Eastern states this weekend and into early next week,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Dan Pydynowski said.

Umbrellas and rain jackets will be needed this weekend across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast, while shorts, T-shirts and sunglasses can be worn across the Midwest.

Highs will be closer to, or slightly above, average across the Midwest this weekend as warmer air slowly builds from the west. Highs will run above average early next week.

Highs from Indianapolis, St. Louis, Chicago and Minneapolis may flirt with the 80-degree mark by early next week.

Any prolonged stretch of 80-degree warmth will be on hold across the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

While a taste of typical spring weather returned to much of the Northeast to end the week, cooler weather will return for the weekend.

Temperatures climbed into the 70s over much of the mid-Atlantic and parts of New England on Friday. For a number of locations Friday will end up being the warmest day of the month so far.

However, a storm will bring locally heavy rain to a large part of the region this weekend.

While the drenching rain will leave most of the region during Saturday night, a pocket of cool air with clouds and spotty showers will linger in the coastal areas of the mid-Atlantic and southern New England on Sunday and Monday.

Rain and clouds this weekend could keep temperatures between 5 and 10 degrees below average from Boston to New York City, Washington, D.C., and Pittsburgh. Saturday is likely to be the cooler day of the weekend.

As the storm leaves this weekend, warmer air will settle from the Appalachians to the Midwest.

Warmth is forecast to reach the Interstate 95 corridor by midweek.

Some locations may challenge the 80-degree mark by Wednesday.

“Once the warm air settles in, it could stay warm into the start of the Memorial Day weekend,” AccuWeather Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.

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