Northeast Will See Warmup and Drying Out by the Weekend

Many residents of the Northeast are digging out their winter coats and warm boots as a blast of cold air is making it feel more like the middle of November than the middle of October. However, this chill in the air is not going to have much staying power. Here is a look at how long you can expect the cool weather to hang around the region.

Chill in the Air to Hang Around the Northeast Until End of the Work Week

It has been a week of definitive fall like or early winter weather for much of the Northeast. In addition to unseasonably cool temperatures, the region has seen bitterly cold winds and even some isolated areas of snow. Temperatures are forecast to continue to run about 8 to 15 degrees below the historical norm for the middle of October through Thursday. This will mean highs in the low to mid 40s for the top terrains of the Northeast and readings that top out in the 50s up and down the busy Interstate 95 corridor in the Northeast.

The chilly air circulating in the upper levels of the atmosphere will generate more clouds that trigger the gusty winds that have been whipping across the area. The cold winds will work to push the real feel readings down into the 30s for most of the interior Northwest while areas closer to the coastline will see temperatures that feel more like the 40s.

There is also enough moisture in the air to produce isolated rain showers. The warm water still in the Great Lakes is filtering up to amplify this moisture. Some of the colder areas will continue to see the threat of snow mixing in with some of the rain. This is most likely in higher elevations in a zone from West Virginia and up through Maine. However, only the top peaks will see snow accumulation out of this weather maker.

The presence of clouds and windy conditions will mitigate the chances of a frost or freeze through Wednesday. However, forecasters are warning that the building high pressure later in the week will raise the risk of these frost or freeze concerns at this time. The onset of the cold nights will end the growing season for the bulk of the Midwest and the interior Northeast even after the warmer air comes in this weekend.