Northeast to ride temperature roller coaster this week
By
Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Mar 3, 2021 8:32 PM EDT
AccuWeather forecasters say that big day-to-day temperature swings are in store through the remainder of the week -- with conditions changing from winter chill one day to springlike warmth the next. The weather changes could be enough to give people a case of weather whiplash and also make it a challenge to figure out how to dress, especially for those spending time outdoors.
"The day-to-day temperature this week will resemble a roller coaster in the Northeast as a series of fronts will sweep through," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said.
"Temperatures will surge ahead of the fronts, like we saw on Monday, and will experience again on Wednesday, but will be slashed in the wake of the fronts," Anderson explained.
Folks in the Northeast got a reality check Monday night and Tuesday morning as a burst of Arctic air had winds howling and temperature tumbling back to January levels in many cases. At one point, more than 160,000 utility customers were without power from Pennsylvania to Maine, due to high winds, according to poweroutage.us.
AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures plummeted below zero degrees Fahrenheit from northern Pennsylvania to Maine Tuesday morning -- or 30-60 degrees lower compared to actual high temperatures on Monday.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Following a cold night for much of the Northeast, temperatures rebounded to near- to above-average levels on Wednesday.
This is a snapshot of temperatures at 2 p.m. EST Wednesday, March 3, 2021 in the northeastern United States.
Average highs for early March range from the upper 20s in northern Maine to the middle 50s in southeastern Virginia. Actual high temperatures ranged from the upper 20s in northern Maine to the 60s in central Virginia.
Some people that head out on Wednesday were able to set aside the winter coats and hats, but by no means should they pack them away for the season, especially since another reality check will follow quickly behind the milder surge of air at midweek.
Afternoon temperatures reached the middle 40s in Boston, the lower 50s in New York City and the middle 50s in Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
However, just like a roller coaster, another temperature dip is in store for Wednesday night and Thursday. The next push of colder air will arrive Wednesday afternoon in northern New York state and northern New England. The colder air will continue to sweep southward on Thursday.
High temperatures on Thursday and Friday in Burlington, Vermont, are projected to be in the 20s with nighttime lows Thursday night in the single digits. In New York City, highs will trend downward to the middle 40s on Thursday and the upper 30s on Friday. This weekend, highs are projected to remain in the 40s this weekend. In Washington, D.C., on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, highs are forecast to be in the middle 40s.
"The good news is that there will be little or no moisture with these fronts and many areas should see a fair amount of sunshine each day, which is a bonus," Anderson said.
This time of year when the sun angle is higher in the sky compared to the early winter, it can make it feel warmer for those outside and it can tack on several degrees for those cruising around in the car during the daytime.
"On the flip side, winds will continue to be gusty at times and can make it feel several degrees lower than what the actual temperature is when outside," Anderson said.
The humidity is also forecast to be very low this week. "People should not put away the humidifier just yet as indoor conditions can be very dry and tough on sinuses and skin," Anderson added.
March is known for see-saw temperatures like what will be experienced this week across the region -- and sometimes the see-saw skews more in one direction. Since an overall southward dip in the jet stream is forecast to persist in eastern Canada and the northeastern U.S. into this weekend, days with below-average temperatures are likely to outnumber those with above-average temperatures.
More consistent mild conditions are possible next week in the region as the jet stream is likely to retreat northward, which should allow warmer from the Central states to shift eastward, and, of course, the sun will be a tad stronger by mid-March as well. A major storm may unfold over the middle of the nation that could lead to an outbreak of severe weather during the middle and latter part of next week.
Most systems and fronts will not be accompanied by much moisture this week, but AccuWeather meteorologists will be watching the track of a southern storm late this week for a possible northward turn near the Atlantic coast this weekend.
"At this time, it appears the storm should stay at sea, but any significant westward shift in track could bring cold rain and areas of wet snow back to coastal areas of the mid-Atlantic and New England," Anderson said.
Even though astronomical spring is still about three weeks away, March 1 marked the first day of meteorological spring. With the aid of the first three weeks of February, meteorological winter, or the typically coldest three months of the year from Dec. 1 through Feb. 28, finished about 1 degree above average over much of the mid-Atlantic and New England. Without very cold conditions in February, temperatures would have averaged another degree or 2 higher for meteorological winter, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. Temperature departures for a multi-month period of plus or minus 2 degrees are considered to be near average.
An exception this winter was in northern New England and northeastern New York state where temperatures average 2 to 7 degrees above normal for the three-month period ending on Feb. 28.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo
News / Winter Weather
Northeast to ride temperature roller coaster this week
By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Mar 3, 2021 8:32 PM EDT
AccuWeather forecasters say that big day-to-day temperature swings are in store through the remainder of the week -- with conditions changing from winter chill one day to springlike warmth the next. The weather changes could be enough to give people a case of weather whiplash and also make it a challenge to figure out how to dress, especially for those spending time outdoors.
"The day-to-day temperature this week will resemble a roller coaster in the Northeast as a series of fronts will sweep through," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said.
"Temperatures will surge ahead of the fronts, like we saw on Monday, and will experience again on Wednesday, but will be slashed in the wake of the fronts," Anderson explained.
Folks in the Northeast got a reality check Monday night and Tuesday morning as a burst of Arctic air had winds howling and temperature tumbling back to January levels in many cases. At one point, more than 160,000 utility customers were without power from Pennsylvania to Maine, due to high winds, according to poweroutage.us.
AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures plummeted below zero degrees Fahrenheit from northern Pennsylvania to Maine Tuesday morning -- or 30-60 degrees lower compared to actual high temperatures on Monday.
CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP
Following a cold night for much of the Northeast, temperatures rebounded to near- to above-average levels on Wednesday.
This is a snapshot of temperatures at 2 p.m. EST Wednesday, March 3, 2021 in the northeastern United States.
Average highs for early March range from the upper 20s in northern Maine to the middle 50s in southeastern Virginia. Actual high temperatures ranged from the upper 20s in northern Maine to the 60s in central Virginia.
Some people that head out on Wednesday were able to set aside the winter coats and hats, but by no means should they pack them away for the season, especially since another reality check will follow quickly behind the milder surge of air at midweek.
Afternoon temperatures reached the middle 40s in Boston, the lower 50s in New York City and the middle 50s in Pittsburgh on Wednesday.
However, just like a roller coaster, another temperature dip is in store for Wednesday night and Thursday. The next push of colder air will arrive Wednesday afternoon in northern New York state and northern New England. The colder air will continue to sweep southward on Thursday.
High temperatures on Thursday and Friday in Burlington, Vermont, are projected to be in the 20s with nighttime lows Thursday night in the single digits. In New York City, highs will trend downward to the middle 40s on Thursday and the upper 30s on Friday. This weekend, highs are projected to remain in the 40s this weekend. In Washington, D.C., on Friday, Saturday and Sunday, highs are forecast to be in the middle 40s.
"The good news is that there will be little or no moisture with these fronts and many areas should see a fair amount of sunshine each day, which is a bonus," Anderson said.
This time of year when the sun angle is higher in the sky compared to the early winter, it can make it feel warmer for those outside and it can tack on several degrees for those cruising around in the car during the daytime.
"On the flip side, winds will continue to be gusty at times and can make it feel several degrees lower than what the actual temperature is when outside," Anderson said.
The humidity is also forecast to be very low this week. "People should not put away the humidifier just yet as indoor conditions can be very dry and tough on sinuses and skin," Anderson added.
March is known for see-saw temperatures like what will be experienced this week across the region -- and sometimes the see-saw skews more in one direction. Since an overall southward dip in the jet stream is forecast to persist in eastern Canada and the northeastern U.S. into this weekend, days with below-average temperatures are likely to outnumber those with above-average temperatures.
More consistent mild conditions are possible next week in the region as the jet stream is likely to retreat northward, which should allow warmer from the Central states to shift eastward, and, of course, the sun will be a tad stronger by mid-March as well. A major storm may unfold over the middle of the nation that could lead to an outbreak of severe weather during the middle and latter part of next week.
Most systems and fronts will not be accompanied by much moisture this week, but AccuWeather meteorologists will be watching the track of a southern storm late this week for a possible northward turn near the Atlantic coast this weekend.
"At this time, it appears the storm should stay at sea, but any significant westward shift in track could bring cold rain and areas of wet snow back to coastal areas of the mid-Atlantic and New England," Anderson said.
Related:
Even though astronomical spring is still about three weeks away, March 1 marked the first day of meteorological spring. With the aid of the first three weeks of February, meteorological winter, or the typically coldest three months of the year from Dec. 1 through Feb. 28, finished about 1 degree above average over much of the mid-Atlantic and New England. Without very cold conditions in February, temperatures would have averaged another degree or 2 higher for meteorological winter, according to AccuWeather meteorologists. Temperature departures for a multi-month period of plus or minus 2 degrees are considered to be near average.
An exception this winter was in northern New England and northeastern New York state where temperatures average 2 to 7 degrees above normal for the three-month period ending on Feb. 28.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
Report a Typo