Spring-like Weather in the Cards for the Northeast by the End of the Week

Posted: February 7, 2023 11:38 am

Cold Will Briefly Return Over the Weekend Before Another Rebound

It has been an unseasonably cold few days for the Northeast, even by typical February standards. However, forecasters are saying that a change is on the way with more springlike conditions on the horizon. Here is the latest on the forecast for this part of the nation.

Warmup on the Way for the Northeast

Despite being the coldest month of the year, the temperatures of the first few days of February have caught some residents off guard. The mercury in Boston has averaged over 11 degrees below average over the first four days of the month with New York City and Pittsburgh seeing readings that have been about 7 degrees below normal for early February. These temperatures have reaffirmed Punxsutawney Phil’s prognostication last week that the country should prepare for six more weeks of winter.

However, a drastic shift in the temperatures is already in place as the weather begins to take on a milder distinction. After experiencing record lows on Saturday morning, many cities across the region saw the mercury climb as much as 50 degrees by Sunday afternoon.

This upward trajectory in temperatures is forecast to continue for much of the Northeast through the week. The warming temperatures will come as a result of a large area of high pressure that is building off the coast of the southeastern U.S. This area of high pressure will bring in the warm air that resides over the Gulf of Mexico.

60-degree Temperature Readings in the Forecast

How warm will it get? Forecasters are predicting that the temperatures will hover between 8 and 15 degrees above normal through Thursday. This will translate to readings in the 40s and the 50s for the bulk of the Northeast and New England. Some communities may even see the mercury crack the 60-degree mark.

For instance, New York City will see readings in the upper 50s by Friday. Washington, D.C. will see the temperature hover around 60 degrees on Thursday and Friday. Indianapolis can expect highs in the mid 50s on Thursday with Pittsburgh enjoying temperatures that land in the low 60s on this day.

Accompanying the warmer temperature will be sporadic rounds of rain in an area stretching from Michigan into New York state and southward. This rain is forecast to hit Wednesday night and into Thursday.

Although the weather will certainly be a welcome relief after last week’s rash of frigid temperatures, the readings are not expected to challenge any long-standing records. In addition, a return to more seasonable winter weather is in store for the Northeast by the weekend.

Winter to Make Another Appearance by the Weekend

The second storm system of the week will feature more winter-like precipitation. Cold air coming down from Canada will reinforce the formation of this wintry moisture by the weekend. This includes the potential of snow for the Great Lakes and across the interior portions of New England by Friday night into Saturday. Cities that have snow in the forecast include Columbus, Detroit, Buffalo, and Albany.

Forecasters will continue to fine-tune the prediction for snow in the coming days as the exact track of the precipitation becomes more clear. How much cold air filters down from Canada will also impact who sees the highest amount of wintry precipitation.

It is important to keep in mind that while the colder temperatures on Saturday will feel particularly bitter, the weather will still be within seasonable averages for the second weekend of February. The contrast of these readings with the temperatures of the prior days will simply make it feel so much colder.

High temperatures on Saturday are forecast to hit the 40s for major East Coast cities such as Philadelphia and Providence. This is within a few degrees of average for this time of the year.

In another shift, the temperatures will again rebound by the beginning of next week with readings that will fall above normal for the Valentine’s Day holiday. This above average warmth is forecast to hang on through the middle of February.

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