Dose of Springlike Warmth to Grace Central, Northeastern US Next Week

By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist

March 5,2015; 10:03PM,EST

 

 

A change in the weather pattern will turn off arctic air invasions to allow the March sun to go to work over much of the central and northeastern United States next week.
While the official arrival of spring is a couple of weeks away, the winter weather will break soon.
The weather pattern next week has the potential to bring the warmest weather since early January to many areas.
According to AccuWeather.com Meteorologist Mark Paquette, "We expect mild Pacific air to flow from west to east across the nation next week."

The west to east flow will keep arctic air locked up over central Canada.
"Compared to what people have been through this February, the weather next week should feel much more comfortable from the Plains to the East," Paquette said.
While the extensive snow cover and ice on area streams and rivers will remain a concern for flooding and ice jams moving forward through March, a significant amount of snow cover will be lost. Ice will begin to break up and move on the streams. Any storm coming along with drenching rain will have to be watched closely.
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In some cases, the snow cover in the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic will completely go away, but not the big piles of snow.
The extensive snow cover will balance out the warmup in the Upper Midwest and Northeast.
"As successive high pressure areas settle in, the combination of snow cover and clear, calm conditions at night will allow for some chilly early morning low temperatures in the Northeast," Paquette said.
As a result, the Northeast will not get as warm as areas farther west in the central and northern Plains.
Despite this, daytime highs should reach or exceed average during multiple days for the middle of March, even in the Northeast.
The strengthening March sun results in average temperatures trending upward by a degree every few days during the middle and latter part of the month.

Toward the middle of the month, high temperatures in the 50s and 60s F are forecast for multiple days in the Plains and lower Midwest and part of the mid-Atlantic with highs in the 40s to near 50 for the snow-clogged upper Great Lakes, upstate New York and New England.
Some chilly episodes may follow into April along with a couple of cold storms, typical of spring.
Spring officially arrives on March 20, at 6:45 p.m. EDT. Remember to turn your clocks ahead one hour before going to bed this Saturday night.