Record Highs May be Challenged as Surge of Warmth Moves Through Eastern U.S.

Posted: January 3, 2023 11:52 am

After weeks of winter weather, the eastern half of the U.S. is experiencing a surge of warmth that is making it feel more like the beginning of spring rather than the beginning of January. Some record highs may fall in the coming days as the mercury soars to levels well above normal.

Temperature Swing Comes on Heels of Record Cold Weather

The last few weeks of 2022 brought a variety of temperatures. While the Christmas weekend was characterized with bitterly cold air sweeping down from the Arctic, the New Year’s holiday weekend brought in readings that were well above average for the end of December.

The mild weather that marked the waning days of 2022 will continue into the first week of 2023 with even warmer temperatures on the way for some locations. The warmth will be attributed to a northward bulge in the jet stream set up over the eastern half of the nation. This bulge will usher in warm and moist air from the Gulf of Mexico, sending it up into the Midwest, the Ohio Valley, and the Northeast through at least Wednesday.

Monday brought temperatures to about 15 degrees above average for January 2 for a large part of this region, translating to highs in the 50s and 60s. It will be even warmer on Tuesday and Wednesday with some areas seeing readings that hit about 30 degrees above normal for the first week of January.

Record High Temperatures Challenged

While cities across the Ohio Valley generally see readings in the upper 30s this time of the year, this region is forecast to see the mercury climb into the middle 60s. A number of daily high records may be challenged on Tuesday. For instance, the daily record for January 3 in St. Louis is 68 degrees, dating back to 1939. The forecast is calling for a reading of 70 degrees on Tuesday.

Cities including Chicago, Indianapolis, Nashville, and Little Rock can also expect temperatures that feel more like spring as the warmth continues to spread. The Northeast will also get in on the action on Tuesday, however, the peak readings will not come until Wednesday.

Both New York City and Washington, D.C. are forecast to see temperatures well into the 60s by the middle of the week. Although this warmth is not expected to challenge any records in these two cities, the readings will still be over 20 degrees above normal.

Philadelphia may come close to hitting a record with a forecast in the mid 60s for Wednesday. It will also be exceedingly warm throughout the interior portions of the Northeast and into New England.

Cooler Air Expected for Later in the Week

The warmth will come to an end as a powerful storm system begins to track through the central portion of the U.S. This is the same weather maker that got the work week off to a bang with snow in the northern Plains and thunderstorms throughout the South.

A wedge of cooler air is coming in behind the storm system, sure to bring the temperatures down in the Midwest and the Northeast by the latter part of the week. However, while the readings will certainly be cooler than what the region saw to start the week, the temperature will not come close to rivaling the deep freeze that spread across the country in the days leading up to Christmas.

You can expect the temperatures to tumble from the 50s and 60s into the 30s and 40s for a high. While these temperatures may seem chilly compared to the days prior, the weather will be right about normal for this time of January. Any precipitation that falls as the temperatures drop may come in the form of snow rather than rain. Be sure to stay tuned to your local forecast if you have travel plans for the weekend.

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