Early spring warmth in East to disappear by Friday as March cooldown looms
The FOX Forecast Center said this would be the first widespread pattern change this year, with a flip of the script from warmth to a cooldown. Details on the extent and magnitude of this cold snap will become clearer over the coming days.
Early spring warmth disappears by Friday
A pattern shift is eyeing the eastern U.S. late this week, bringing in cooler-than-average temperatures.
We're in for a little bit of a roller-coaster ride of temperatures this week, especially if you live down South.
A pattern shift is eyeing the eastern U.S. late this week, bringing in cooler-than-average temperatures. The high pressure dominating the Southeast that has been keeping temperatures well above average for weeks is forecast to break down, allowing the jet stream to dip across the central part of the country.
(FOX Weather)
"Although this is a return, or a first show, of cool weather for many of you, it's not an arctic blast by any means," FOX Weather meteorologist Britta Merwin said. "We are talking about the return of normal average March temperatures, but it will feel much different because of what we have been dealing with for almost the entire winter."
The average monthly temperature was 5 to 10 degrees above average for most of the East Coast in February, according to the FOX Forecast Center. Temperatures will return to near or slightly below average in the coming days.
A pattern shift is eyeing the eastern U.S. late this week, bringing in cooler-than-average temperatures.
(FOX Weather)
West continues to stay below average
Record-cold highs are possible across California for much of this week, with possible record morning lows Thursday morning.
(FOX Weather)
Sacramento, Fresno and Redding in California could all get close to freezing temperatures Thursday morning. While not rare, it is unusual this time of the year.
Hours later, the regions will get hit by another atmospheric river bringing heavy rain and more mountain snow.
Whenever you have a cooldown in one spot, you will have a warmup in another spot. That's what we're seeing in the Southwest later in the week.
Phoenix is expected to reach 80 degrees on Friday. The last time the city hit this mark was back on Nov. 8, 2022.
(FOX Weather)
"We have been abnormally cool across Arizona and New Mexico, so this is going to be nice," Merwin said. "They're going to get a break from the cool weather, and folks that might want some cool weather will finally have a first shot of it."