AccuWeather
Heat relief is on the way for the Northeast
Following record heat over the weekend, residents of the Northeast who aren’t fans of summerlike weather will be happy to hear that relief is on the way, but it will only be a short reprieve, according to forecasters. On Saturday, temperatures soared across much of the eastern half of the United States. High temperatures in the 80s F were widespread and stretched from Florida to southern Maine. Some locations even broke into the 90s for the first time this year. Both Philadelphia and Baltimore eclipsed the 90-degree mark on Saturday with high temperatures of 92 and 93, respectively. For Baltimore, it was the first time the city encountered a high temperature at or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit since Sept. 2, 2020. In Philadelphia, Aug. 28, 2020, was the last time the mercury rose into the 90s. Two additional major Interstate-95 corridor cities fell just short of the 90-degree mark on Saturday. Both New York City and Boston soared to 89 on Saturday, just under 20 degrees above normal for both cities. Records were broken elsewhere along the I-95 corridor on Saturday, including in Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Georgetown, Delaware. On Sunday, several records were also either tied or broken across the region. Atlantic City, New Jersey; Georgetown and Wilmington, Delaware; and Washington, D.C., all tied with their previous records for May 23. Dubois, Pennsylvania, broke its 1991 record for the day by one degree when it hit 85 degrees. Cape Hatteras, North Carolina; New Philadelphia, Ohio; Kennedy, New York; and Bridgeport, Connecticut, are other cities that set new temperature high marks for May 23. CLICK HERE FOR THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP Any residents of the Northeast wishing for relief from this July-like heat will have their wish granted on Monday as a cold front slices into the region. “High pressure located in eastern Canada will push a cold front southward into the southern Appalachians and the coastal Carolinas on Monday,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Carl Babinski said. “Behind this front, the effects of an east-to-northeast wind should usher much cooler air into the Northeast.” During the early morning hours of Monday, temperatures had dipped into the 30s and 40s across New England and New York state behind the front. Humidity levels were also taking a noticeable dive across the interior. High temperatures on Monday are expected to achieve levels anywhere from 10 to 25 degrees less than Sunday’s scorching heat. High temperatures in the 60s and 70s will be the norm from Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania and New Jersey, all the way north into Maine. The air on Monday will feel refreshing to those who were driven inside and forced to crank up their air conditioners over the weekend. However, AccuWeather forecasters say this relief from unseasonable heat will be brief. “As the orientation of this zone of high pressure begins to change by midweek, another surge of unusually warm air for late in May will occur,” Babinski explained. “While most highs on Tuesday will be in the 70s, or close to typical levels for this time of year, a south-to-southwest wind on Wednesday will promote some hot weather once again in many Eastern cities,” Babinski added. Dew point temperatures, or the temperature at which the air needs to be cooled for it to become saturated, will also be on the rise by Wednesday. This means that in addition to the heat, humidty will also become an important factor. AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures will likely trend several degrees above the actual air temperature for many Northeast and mid-Atlantic cities on Wednesday. “Highs should be in the upper 80s and lower 90s on Wednesday afternoon between Boston and Washington, D.C. – returning to levels many of the same locations experienced on Sunday,” Babinski said. While areas along the immediate coast will remain much cooler than areas inland, the demand on energy grids and residents’ wallets across the region will likely soar at midweek. The heat is not expected to last long, however, as another cold front will slice into the region by Thursday, perhaps accompanied by heavy to locally severe thunderstorms. Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier, Spectrum, FuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios.