The West Catches a Break While a New Heat Dome Builds Out East

Cooler temperatures and the chance of rain are finally arriving in the West, just as the temperatures are on the uptick again in the East. Read on for the details of the change in the weather in store for the end of August across the country.

Dip in Jet Stream Will Bring Cooler Air to the West Beginning This Weekend

A southward dip in the jet stream across the western U.S. this weekend will send temperatures on a downward trajectory. For instance, highs that hovered in the 90s for Salt Lake City over the last several days will dive into the low to mid 80s by the weekend. Likewise, highs in the 110s in Las Vegas will slip into the upper 90s, translating to a change of 10 to 20 degrees for much of the West.

This atmospheric pattern will also lay the groundwork for moisture to move into the region from the Pacific. While it will not be a washout this weekend, many areas will be dodging rain showers and thunderstorms at times.

Places such as Seattle could see a much-anticipated surge of moisture on Saturday. Farther to the south, tropical moisture coming together near the coast of Mexico could make its way into the Desert Southwest.

Heat Shifts to the East

While the western U.S. enjoys a break from the sizzling temperatures, the heat dome will move to the east and over the Plains and Mississippi Valley as the weekend progresses. The unseasonably warm temperatures are forecast to reach the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic by next week.

This late-summer heat dome is expected to have some staying power. Forecasters are warning those in Tennessee that they will get caught in the middle of the zone of toasty temperatures. Places such as Nashville will be sweating it out with temperatures in the 90s beginning this weekend and persisting well into September.

Widespread highs in the 90s will also be the story for Kansas City and St. Louis by the end of the weekend. These readings will push to the east into Columbus, Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington, D.C., and Charlotte by the start of the new work week.

As is typical with these sprawling areas of high pressure, you will be hard-pressed to find rain in the middle of the dome. However, the northern flank of the heat dome is likely to be a hotbed of activity for showers and thunderstorms. The geography of the heat dome will translate to the threat of severe weather across the northern Plains, the Upper Midwest, New England, and the central portions of the Appalachians.

This part of the northern U.S. should be prepared for the threat of powerful long-lived thunderstorm complexes on Sunday and Monday, ushering in the chance of flash flooding and damaging winds. The storms could creep farther south into the interior of the heat dome as well.

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