Surge of Moisture Will Accompany Warmer Temperatures for the Eastern U.S.

It has been a cold stretch of days for the Northeast with the chilly temperatures that moved in over Thanksgiving proving that they had some staying power. However, a warmup is now underway in this corner of the country. Unfortunately for those wanting to get outside and enjoy the warmer temperatures, the change in the weather is also going to usher in rain and the risk of wintry precipitation. Here is the latest on this developing forecast.

Cold Air Retreating for Much of the Eastern U.S.

The Northeast, the Great Lakes, and the mid-Atlantic have been under a blast of cold air since the Thanksgiving holiday. In fact, some communities experienced the coldest conclusion to November and the start of December in decades. The frigid weather felt even more dramatic on the heels of an unseasonably warm fall season. The arrival of warmer temperatures over the weekend was a breath of fresh air, however, the milder weather will come with its own set of disruptions.

A shift in the jet stream late in the weekend lifted the Arctic air back into Canada. Only the northern reaches of New England remained under this air mass as the weekend came to a close. At the same time that the cold air retreated to the north, milder air from the central U.S. pushed to the east.

The result was a stark change in the temperatures. For instance, after topping out with a high in the mid 40s on Saturday, Washington, D.C. came close to breaking the 70-degree mark on Sunday. The nation's capital will drop back into the 50s for highs on Monday and Tuesday with readings expected to hover in the mid 60s by Wednesday.

You will find a similar swing in the temperatures for New York City. The Big Apple will also be back in the low 60s by the middle of the week before the next cooldown arrives.