Widespread above-average temperatures may bring some record highs early this week.
Cold conditions will return to the northern tier and much of the East mid-to-late week.
An active weather pattern will bring widespread and noticeable temperature changes to much of the U.S. in the week ahead. Near-record warmth will start the week but will be followed by a quick blast of cold air.
High pressure slid eastward during the weekend and will remain over the Southeast into early this week. Meanwhile, the next low-pressure system will move into the Midwest by Tuesday. This system will bring snow, ice and wind to the north, with rain and possibly severe thunderstorms to the south.
(MORE: Snow, Ice Return | Severe Threat)
Ahead of the system, warm temperatures will surge northward, while colder temperatures begin to infiltrate areas on the backside.
Warm temperatures will surge ahead of the low-pressure system, while colder temperatures will move in behind this storm.
Record Warmth Possible
Above-average temperatures once again became widespread on Sunday, as highs 10 to 20 degrees warmer than average stretched from the Southwest to the Northeast. This warmer pattern is reminding many of the above-average temperatures that dominated much of the South and East in January.
(MORE: January Extremes)
Ahead of an approaching low-pressure system, a southerly flow will allow temperatures to climb to 20 to 25 degrees above average in the southern Plains and lower Mississippi Valley on Monday. Highs will reach the 70s and 80s in the southern Plains and near the Gulf Coast, with 60s as far north as portions of Missouri and Virginia.
Forecast Highs
In addition to the warm conditions, dew points will also rise and it’ll feel fairly humid across parts of the South early this week, especially by February standards.
By Tuesday, the anomalous warmth will spread farther north and east. High temperatures will be 15 to 30 degrees warmer than average from Texas into the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic states. This translates to highs in the 70s from the Southeast into Texas, where 80s are once again expected. Highs will climb into the 50s and 60s from southern New Jersey to northern Kansas.
(FORECAST: Washington D.C. | Atlanta | St. Louis | Dallas)
A few record highs will likely be broken Monday and Tuesday. Here are a few cities to watch for new record highs to be set early this week; the current record is in parentheses:
- Monday: Tulsa, Oklahoma (73 degrees); Oklahoma City (73 degrees); Lubbock, Texas (81 degrees); Tupelo, Mississippi (74 degrees); Jackson, Mississippi (78 degrees); and New Orleans (79 degrees).
- Tuesday: Washington D.C. (64 degrees); Toledo, Ohio (56 degrees); Paducah, Kentucky (66 degrees); Jacksonville, Florida (80 degrees); Memphis, Tennessee (72 degrees); Houston (80 degrees); Corpus Christi, Texas (83 degrees); Austin, Texas (84 degrees); and Brownsville, Texas (85 degrees).
Possible Record Highs
Low temperatures will also be well above average during this time period, and a few record warm lows are possible. This includes Indianapolis, Memphis and Houston on Tuesday, and Charleston, South Carolina, Washington D.C. and Philadelphia on Wednesday.
(MAPS: 10-Day Forecast)
Tuesday’s lows will be warmer than average from the Southwest into the Midwest, South and mid-Atlantic, with lows only dropping into the 50s and 60s across the South. Temperatures may only drop into the upper 60s in southeastern Texas.
On Wednesday, lows will be warmer than average for much of the East, with low temperatures in the 50s likely as far north as Maryland.
Temperatures will still be above average on Wednesday for much of the South and East, but not as warm as earlier in the week for most locations.
Quick Cold Blast
The record warmth, however, will not last long as colder temperatures will return behind this low-pressure system.
Below-average temperatures are expected by Tuesday in the northern Plains, with highs up to 30 degrees colder than average in parts of Montana. By Wednesday, the chilly conditions will spread into the upper Mississippi Valley and parts of the Great Lakes.
Forecast Morning Lows
Temperatures will return to near or below average for the Midwest and East by Thursday or Friday.
Highs will once again fail to reach the freezing mark of 32 degrees for much of the Midwest and Northeast by late in the week. Lows will also be colder than average, with temperatures tumbling into the single digits and teens in the northern Plains, upper Midwest, Great Lakes region and parts of the Northeast.
(FORECAST: Minneapolis | Chicago | Boston | Nashville)
The low-pressure system that’ll help to usher in these colder temperatures will also bring windy conditions from the northern Plains to the Northeast. Consequently, it will feel even colder in many areas due to the gusty winds.
This is expected to be a relatively quick shot of colder temperatures, as most areas will see temperatures rebound by next week. In fact, above-average conditions are expected to prevail across a large swath of the U.S. for much of February.
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