From 90s to Frost: Big Fall Temperature Swing Coming for Millions
The Indian Summer is in full swing across the central and eastern U.S. How long will the unseasonable heat last? This is what you need to know.
Unseasonable Warmth Breaking Records Across Central and Eastern U.S.
Record-breaking temperatures will peak at midweek across the central and eastern portions of the country. Get out and enjoy this last gasp of summer while you can, as the forecast is calling for a stark cooldown by the weekend.
Millions of Americans in the Great Plains, the Midwest, the Deep South, and the Southeast are under another fall heat wave. Temperatures are climbing well above the average for the middle of October across all of these regions.
A large zone of high pressure anchored over the eastern half of the nation is sending the warm and humid air to the north, translating to temperatures in the upper 80s and 90s for the Midwest. It is even toastier in the southern Plains, the mid-South, and the Southeast, with readings hovering in the mid to upper 90s.
Places such as Nashville will continue to sizzle through Thursday. The Music City will see highs in the low 90s, landing well over what you expect in the Tennessee Valley this time of the year when people are typically reaching for those pumpkin spice lattes and sweaters.
When to Expect the Cooler Temperatures to Arrive
The warming trend will peak on Wednesday and Thursday ahead of a powerful cold front that will dip into the southern tier of the country through the weekend. The arrival of the fall cold front will bring temperatures down to the seasonal average for most of the central and eastern U.S. Going back to Nashville, temperatures will max out in the 60s on Friday and Saturday, pairing with increasing cloud cover.
The change in temperatures will feel quite dramatic, plunging roughly 40 degrees when compared to the peak of the heat earlier in the week. The collapse of the heat dome will also send overnight temperatures down into the 30s and low 40s for much of the Upper Midwest and central Plains. Do not be surprised to wake up to frost on the ground by the weekend.
The most significant change in temperatures will unfold over the northern and central Plains and into the Upper Midwest. Highs in the 80s on Thursday will be replaced by readings that struggle to climb out of the 40s and 50s on Friday. The first widespread hard freeze of the season may be the story for the Upper Midwest and portions of the Plains when overnight lows slide into the 20s and 30s.
The Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, and Great Lakes will also experience a noticeable shift in the weather as the weekend kicks off. A mass of dry and cold Arctic air will settle over this corner of the country, delivering what is expected to be the coldest mornings of the season thus far.
The mercury is forecast to dive into the upper 20s and the low 30s throughout the interior valleys of Pennsylvania, New York, and the northern reaches of New England. Widespread frost is likely for millions of people in the northeastern quadrant of the nation.
While some people will welcome the break from the heat, others are not ready for the chill of winter. The long-range forecast is signaling that warmer temperatures will make a return next week. Although readings will not be as hot as this week's summerlike weather, it will be a noticeable change from the chilly weekend. Using Nashville as an example again, this metro area will be back in the low 80s by this time next week.
October is typically a month of great temperature variations, making this abnormal pattern actually quite average. Stay with us as we follow these wild temperature swings.
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