Warmth to hold firm in northeastern US despite episodes of rain

By Renee Duff, AccuWeather.com Meteorologist

March 11,2016; 9:10PM,EST

Following a week of record-breaking temperatures across the Northeast, the unseasonably warm, springlike trend will continue into the new week.
Many cities across the Northeast soared past the 70-degree Fahrenheit mark for several days during the past week. Baltimore and Philadelphia soared to 80.
A front that moved through on Friday will bring a slight cooldown for the weekend, but temperatures will remain 10-20 degrees above average into next week.
Temperatures will climb into the 60s for multiple days next week from Philadelphia to New York City, while Washington, D.C., will hit the 70s.

"The combination of an area of high pressure over the western Atlantic Ocean and a storm tracking northward across the central United States will keep the region mild as winds will remain out of the south," AccuWeather Meteorologist Brett Rathbun said.
He added that the warmth would hold despite spotty showers and localized heavier downpours that will arrive on Sunday and continue into Tuesday of next week.
Some breaks in the rain each day may allow Northeastern residents to get outside and enjoy the mild conditions.
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Daytime highs will likely fail to reach record-breaking territory due to the increased clouds and wet weather.
While many are not complaining about the lack of snow and cold, some may be wondering why it will remain mild for such a long stretch.
"The lack of snowpack and leaves on trees are the key ingredients for this stretch of mild weather," Rathbun explained.

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Snowpack protects the ground from being heated rapidly, while leaves absorb some heat from the sun. A lack of both elements can lead to long mild stretches, which are not unusual during the transition from winter to spring.
"It is common in most years during March and April for temperatures to soar well above average for a duration of a week or so given a southerly wind bringing in milder air," Rathbun said.