WeatherFanatics: Near-Record Heat to Build Over Plains, Then Eye East

Friday, May 2, 2014

Near-Record Heat to Build Over Plains, Then Eye East

By Brian Lada, Meteorologist

May 3,2014; 12:50AM,EDT

Summerlike heat is in store for the southern Plains this weekend. Warmth will spread farther east next week but may encounter some resistance.
The heat will begin to crank up over the weekend, setting the stage for the record-challenging warmth Monday and Tuesday from Texas to Kansas.
Afternoon highs will flirt with the 100-degree mark from central Texas to central Oklahoma under the bright afternoon sun; this is more than 20 degrees above normal for early May.

People across the region should take proper precautions to stay protected from the high temperature values and the strong rays of the sun.
Wearing sunblock, light-colored clothing and sunglasses with UV protection are just several ways to stay protected from the sun.
Staying hydrated is also important, especially if you have plans on spending long periods of time in the outdoors. Be sure to drink plenty of water and try to avoid carbonated and caffeinated beverages that can accelerate dehydration.

One of the many cities that is forecast to see consecutive days at or above the 90-degree mark is Dallas.
This stretch of above-normal temperatures will likely result in the first time that the city has had three consecutive 90-degree days since the beginning of October 2013.
Oklahoma City is also forecast to come within a few degrees of 100 F. If it does manage to reach the triple digits, it would be the second earliest 100-degree day on record.
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Although the core of the heat is expected to focus on the southern Plains, this will eventually translate to warmer weather for the Midwest and South by midweek.

According to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski, "Temperatures will spike well into the 80s F in the Ohio Valley and may touch 90 F in some locations of Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia and the Carolinas starting next Tuesday and Wednesday."
Average highs for this region of the South during early May generally in the 70s.
Farther to the northeast, forecasting the coverage and longevity of the warmth is more challenging.
"Exactly where frontal boundary sets up with clouds, showers and thunderstorms will determine which areas hit 80 and which places only 100 miles away hover in the 50s and 60s," Sosnowski said. "That boundary could hold nearly stationary over the mid-Atlantic or meander north and south each day next Wednesday into the weekend over the Northeast."
New York City has not yet hit 80 F this spring.
According Meteorologist Jesse Ferrell, "The latest 80-degree reading at New York's Central Park was on May 23 in 1984 and in 1988."
The warmest it has been so far this spring at Central Park is 78 F.
It could be a close call with 80-degree warmth versus chilly air and showers for several days later next week around New York, New Jersey and Connecticut.

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