End of Week Will Bring a Drop in the Mercury for the Midwest and Northeast

Posted: January 5, 2023 11:41 am

There is no doubt that the last several days of warmer than average temperatures were a welcome relief for residents of the Midwest and Northeast, particularly after the deep freeze that gripped the region over the Christmas holiday. However, those moderate temperatures are about to be a thing of the past as cooler air filters into the region.

Colder Air by the End of Week for Northeast

A southward dip in the jet stream is set to deliver the colder weather by the end of the week and into the weekend. The ripples in this stream of air will also create the potential of snow, rain, or an icy mix to a large area of the U.S. in the coming days. While the readings are forecast to land a few degrees above average for the first week in January, it will feel much cooler when compared to the weather of the last week.

The dramatic cooldown is already being felt in some areas of the central U.S. For instance, while the mercury soared into the low 70s in portions of the Midwest on Tuesday, it tumbled into the low 40s for a high by Wednesday.

The downward trajectory in temperatures will reach the East Coast by Thursday. Tourists in New York City have been enjoying readings in the 50s and 60s over the past several days. However, the high on Thursday will only be in the low 50s before falling into the 40s for the weekend. The Big Apple typically sees readings right about 40 degrees this time of the year.

Wintry Precipitation Will Accompany Cold Air

The cold air will not be the only weather element making it feel more like winter again. A mix of wintry precipitation will also move into the region beginning on Thursday. The northern reaches of New England will be the first to see this precipitation early Thursday. Freezing rain is forecast to arrive first, potentially making for a messy morning commute for this part of New England. The ice may be prevalent enough to also bring down power lines and trigger outages.

The freezing rain will transition to snow later in the day, bringing flakes to central New England, coastal portions of Maine, and into western New York. By late Thursday and early Friday, you can expect the snow to move into central Appalachians and the rest of New England.

California Bomb Cyclone Could Fuel More Moisture

There is also the chance that energy coming from the bomb cyclone that is currently anchored over California could break off and push down from the Rockies, ejecting out into the Great Plains. This would supply enough moisture to fuel more wintry weather for the Mississippi and Ohio valleys as well as the mid-Atlantic.

Should this happen, the moisture would not make its way across the Rockies until the weekend. There is also the chance that the disturbance may lose its energy as it encounters drier air.

Even if this extra energy from the bomb cyclone does not survive the trip across the Rockies, another area of snow and sleet may fire up throughout some parts of Illinois, Missouri, Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky to start the weekend. Areas north of Interstate 70 can expect snow out of this weather maker, including as far east as the Lower Peninsula of Michigan. Chicago may also be in the line of fire for measurable snow.

This system will pack a bigger punch than the one coming from California, giving it a higher chance of moving into the central Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic by the end of the weekend. This moisture may eventually migrate up through the Northeast and into New England.

The timing of this storm could translate to a dicey Monday morning commute for the busy Interstate 95 corridor. Be sure to stay tuned to your local forecast for more details.

More Winter Weather for Next Week?

While it is still too far out to forecast for certain, weather experts are predicting the potential of another major winter storm next week along the Atlantic seaboard. This storm will get its start if the energy coming from the West Coast triggers an even bigger dip in the jet stream across the East Coast. The result could be heavy snow and rain for a large swath of the Northeast by the middle of next week.

In addition, colder temperatures are on tap for the end of the week. However, at this time, the drop in the mercury is not expected to rival what the region saw at the end of December. Temperatures will likely hover in the 20s across the higher terrains of the Appalachians and New England and 30s throughout the rest of the region.

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