Significantly Cooler Weather on Tap for the Eastern Half of U.S.

Posted: April 24, 2023 3:00 pm

Although it has been an exceptionally warm April for much of the Northeast and the Midwest, that warmth is forecast to be a thing of the past heading into the last week of April.

Here is what forecasters are calling for this week in this part of the country.

Active Storm Pattern Ushers in Cooler Air to Midwest, Northeast, and Great Lakes

Residents of the Great Lakes, Midwest, and Northeast have been basking in the warmth of spring over the last several weeks. The temperatures have hovered over 5 degrees above average for much of the part of the country.

Upstate New York and the populated cities along the Interstate 95 corridor have been unseasonably warm with readings averaging about 6.5 degrees higher than the historical average for this time of the year.

However, that may all change in the coming days as an active storm pattern replaces the area of high pressure that had been in place. This storm pattern will also usher in much cooler air, including the threat of frost and freezes for many areas of the north-central U.S. and into the interior of the Northeast.

Chilly air will be brought down from the upper levels in the atmosphere to support the development of temperatures that could drop below freezing.

Cities such as Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and Columbus are forecast to see the mercury drop below freezing this week. Areas farther north may see readings drop as low as the upper 20s.

Hazards of the Cooler Weather

Temperatures of this magnitude could damage sensitive plants and flowers. You will want to take precautions to protect your vulnerable plants, annual flowers, and vegetables.

Bringing them indoors is the best solution, if possible. An alternative is to cover them during the overnight hours to protect against frosts and freezes.

The moisture associated with this weather maker paired with the cold temperatures could be enough to trigger the development of light snow across parts of the northern U.S.

This includes an area stretching from the Great Lakes into the northern reaches of New England. The higher terrains of the Appalachians will also be under a threat of frost development.

The coastal areas of the Northeast are predicted to remain just above the freezing level for overnight lows. This will hopefully mitigate the odds of any frost.

However, the warm spring up until this point has created a much earlier than usual leaf-out for many trees and plants. As a result, these buds are more in danger of damage if the temperature falls too low.

How Long Will the Chilly Air Hang Around?

Any blasts of cool air this spring have been quickly replaced with more warmth. But that may not be the case this time around.

Forecasters are warning that even cooler air could move into the region by the end of the week. The coldest of the air is likely to wait until the weekend to hit the interior portions of the Northeast.

Regardless of how chilly it gets this week, it will be a dramatic change from what the area experienced during the first few weeks of April.

For instance, Boston saw highs in the upper 80s during the middle of the month with New York City breaking the 90-degree barrier. Boston is forecast to see high readings in the 50s this week while New York City will barely crack the 60-degree mark.

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