Warmer Temperatures Will Accompany Moisture in the Eastern U.S.

Posted: February 14, 2023 11:13 am

It is going to feel more like spring than the middle of February for the eastern half of the U.S. as warmer temperatures begin to build by the middle of the week. The temperatures may soar high enough to even break records in some places on Wednesday and Thursday. Will your area enjoy this blast of springlike warmth? Here is what you need to know.

Records May be Challenged as Warm Air Expand to the East on Wednesday

Daily records may be in jeopardy of falling across the Midwest and into the Appalachians. This potentially record-setting warmth will push through in front of a duo of storm systems that are expected to impact the central U.S. this week. While snow will be the story on the northwestern edge of the weather makers, it will be severe weather grabbing the headlines in the south-central U.S.

Temperatures in front of the storms will trend to levels more indicative of late April. The warmest air on Wednesday will be entrenched over an area stretching from Michigan into Pennsylvania. The unseasonably warm readings in the 60s and the 70s will expand as far south as West Virginia and as far north as upstate New York.

Some of the records expected to be challenged on Wednesday have been around since the 1950s. This speaks to the rare occurrence of temperatures this warm on February 15. For instance, Pittsburgh is forecast to hit 67 degrees on Wednesday, challenging the record from 1954 of 69 degrees. Other cities that can expect to see noticeably warm readings include Cincinnati, Detroit, and Columbus.

Interstate 95 in Zone of Unseasonable Warmth by Thursday

The bulk of the warm air will shift east across the Interstate 95 corridor on Thursday. This will bring temperatures in the 60s to cities in the mid-Atlantic and up through New England. While rain may be in the picture for Boston on Thursday, the mercury will hit the 60-degree mark. Similar conditions will be found in New York City with the temperature climbing into the upper 60s in Washington, D.C.

Although these readings will not be enough to put any records in danger of falling, it will still be a nice change from what you could normally expect heading into the President’s Day holiday weekend.

The arrival of clouds and rain will likely prevent the records from reaching their full potential in this part of the country. There is also the potential of severe weather across the Ohio Valley. These storms may reach as far as the western-facing slopes of the Appalachians and into the Great Lakes.

The Southeast may also see record highs on Thursday. Some of the current records date back as far as the 1920s. In addition to the exceptionally warm weather in the southeastern U.S., Florida may also see unseasonable warmth with the mercury soaring into the 80s. For instance, Miami is forecast to hit 83 degrees on Friday while Naples will be in the mid 80s for the foreseeable future.

Colder Air in Store by End of Week

Enjoy the warmth while it lasts. A mass of colder air is forecast to move across the East Coast on Friday. The temperatures may fall enough to produce snow in portions of the Appalachians starting late Thursday and lasting through early Friday.

The mercury will drop from a high of about 60 degrees on Thursday in New York City to readings in the 40s by Friday. This weather will be in line with what the Big Apple typically experiences this time of the year. It will be even colder in cities such as Pittsburg with highs topping out in the 30s to bring the work week to a close.

Looking ahead to the long-range forecast, forecasters are warning that the Midwest and the East Coast could be in for a longer stretch of unseasonably cold weather in early March. This could present problems for farmers and gardeners hoping to get their early planting season done.

A cooler than usual start to spring would also be a departure from the warmer than average January and February that much of the eastern half of the U.S. saw this year.

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