Stormy Activity Will Work to Trim Heat in Northern U.S. Throughout the Week

Posted: September 7, 2023 10:20 am

While there is relief from the heat in store for the northern U.S. this week, the more moderate temperatures will come at the cost of the arrival of severe weather. Here is what you need to know about this potentially stormy forecast.

September Heat Wave Distinguishes Weather Pattern for Central U.S.

The official start of meteorological fall arrived on September 1, however, the outside temperature has felt anything but fall across much of the northern tier of the country. Many major cities saw daily record high temperatures fall early this week thanks to the early fall heat wave. For instance, the mercury in Minneapolis hit a sweltering 98 degrees on Sunday, good for a record for that date in history. This reading compares to the historical average of about 77 degrees during the first week of September.

It was also exceptionally warm in places such as Des Moines, Omaha, Kansas City, and Chicago. These areas were all trending 5 to 10 degrees above the norm over the Labor Day weekend.

The heat is finally coming to an end, however, the relief will come paired with the risk of severe storms. Repeated rounds of heavy downpours and other severe impacts are setting up across the northern half of the country, bringing the mercury down along the way.

Wednesday’s Severe Weather Threats

The Northern Plains saw the bulk of the severe weather on Tuesday but those risks headed to the east on Wednesday. The greatest threat of storms on Wednesday set up in an area stretching from central Michigan and down into Tennessee, Mississippi, and Arkansas. These storm cells packed quite a punch, ushering in heavy rain, strong winds, and hail.

The silver lining of the stormy activity is that cooler air is set to move in behind the severe weather. High temperatures will drop from the 90s into the 60s for Minneapolis, Milwaukee, and more. Highs will top out in the low 70s for cities a bit farther south, including Chicago and Indianapolis. These readings will represent a change of up to 30 degrees when compared to the start of the week.

Heading into the latter part of the week, temperatures will begin to climb slightly in the Midwest and Northern Plains. However, these readings will still land a few degrees below the historical average for the second weekend of September.

Northeast Will Also Get in on the Relief

Although it will take some more time to experience, the Northeast will also eventually see this relief from the heat. The storm system moving through the Northern Plains, Midwest, and the Great Lakes will first work to push the core of the heat to the east. This will translate to a few more unseasonably hot days for the Northeast.

New York City will see a steady decline from highs in the mid 90s on Wednesday into the low 80s for the weekend. It has been a relatively mild summer for the Big Apple thus far. In fact, Wednesday’s expected high of 95 degrees is the first time that a reading over the 90-degree benchmark has been in the forecast for weeks. There have been only two times the entire summer that New York City has seen two consecutive days of readings that hit 90 degrees or greater. Both of these instances happened in July. It is likely that the city may see its first official heat wave of the summer beginning Wednesday.

The heat will not linger in the Northeast. The storms that are currently pushing through the central portions of the country will make their way into this corner of the U.S. by the end of the week.

Cities such as New York City, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. may see this storm development by late Thursday. The weather maker is expected to move at a slow speed, meaning that some areas will see repeated rounds of rain and stormy conditions. This stormy pattern will raise the risk of flash flooding. In addition, the increase in humidity with the storms will send the real feel readings to nearly intolerable levels.

Residents of the Northeast may also be dodging storms throughout the weekend. You will want to stay on top of your local forecast if your weekend plans call for a football game or any other outdoor activity. While the region is not bracing for a total washout, sporadic rain showers and scattered storms could put a damper on some plans.

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