Weather extremes in the forecast this week: What to expect from coast-to-coast
Weather extremes are forecast from coast-to-coast this week as a cold front moves inland off the Pacific and a bout of potentially record-breaking heat spreads eastward, producing strong thunderstorms in the central U.S. as the temperatures clash, meteorologists say.
Soaring temperatures could break decades-old temperature records early this week from Texas to Minnesota and Michigan as temperatures rise 15-25 degrees above their historical averages, according to AccuWeather. Widespread afternoon temperatures will be in the 70s and 80s, with some south-central states potentially reaching 90 degrees.
The warm weather is projected to spread east by Wednesday, ratcheting up daily highs to potentially record levels throughout the Mid-Atlantic region and elevating the risk of wildfires. On Halloween, daily record temperatures – some dating back to the 1940s and 1950s – could be broken in major Northeast cities, including Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and New York City, according to AccuWeather.
A factor in the east's rising temperatures is a lack of rainfall, which is on pace to make October the driest month on record in Philadelphia and New York City, neither of which has received measurable amounts of rainfall since September.
The dry conditions combined with gusty winds approaching from the west will lead to a sustained risk of wildfires across the Northeast, prompting warnings from meteorologists.
"This time of year, many people are doing yardwork and burning leaves and other smaller twigs or perhaps having evening bonfires with family and friends. Extra precautions will need to be taken when participating in these kinds of activities due to the high fire danger and how quickly fires could spread," said Dan Pydynowski, a senior meteorologist with AccuWeather. "It may be best to put off burning leaves and other yard waste until a change in the pattern brings wetter conditions with less wind."
Central US faces threat of heavy rain, hail and strong winds
As heat expands east, a cold front blowing in from the Rockies will alleviate high temperatures in the central U.S. but is expected to cause thunderstorms capable of flooding low-lying areas.
The risk of storm outbreak will peak on Tuesday night across the south-central Plains and Upper Midwest, where "strong to severe thunderstorms" could produce damaging winds and hail, according to the National Weather Service.
Through Wednesday and Thursday, forecasters expect rain to scuttle Halloween festivities in parts of the Ohio Valley and Great Lakes region, including major cities such as Detroit and Cleveland, according to AccuWeather.
Thunderstorms may hamper holiday plans in the South, especially a swath of the region from Houston to Little Rock, Arkansas, and Memphis, Tennessee. Rain is also forecast across the eastern coast of the Florida Peninsula, from Daytona to Miami and the Florida Keys.
Though the rain could cause flooding, damaging winds and hail are the main hazards through the midweek, meteorologists said.
Train of storms cut across Northwest bringing rain and snow
Beginning over the weekend, a series of storms pushing across the Northwest from the Pacific began to unload cool air, rain, strong winds and, at high elevations, snow.
On Monday, showers and thunderstorms are expected along the Pacific coasts of Oregon and Washington, where there is a possibility of "localized flooding, mainly in low-lying and poor drainage areas," according to AccuWeather Meteorologist Alyssa Glenny.
The rain will extend into Tuesday across the Pacific Northwest and Northern California, the weather service said.
As the storms roll into the interior states, they will trigger snowfall across the high terrain of Utah, Wyoming and Colorado, AccuWeather said. Snow amounts could exceed half a foot across the central Rockies.
The cool air will bring relief to some western states. In Las Vegas, which has sweltered in recent days amid afternoon highs in the 80s, the storms are projected to drop temperatures into the 60s this week.