East Weather Pattern Flip Finally on the Horizon; Warmer, Drier Conditions Ahead?

Brian Donegan
Published: June 4,2017
For those in the East who have had enough of the cool, wet weather during the last several weeks, maybe this will brighten (no pun intended) your day.
A pattern flip is in the works next weekend, which will send temperatures to levels more typical of early June and bring more frequent sunny, dry days.
Many areas of the Northeast, Midwest and South saw a wetter-than-average May due to a persistent southward plunge of the jet stream, or trough, over the East. This trough has repeatedly taken hold of the East into early June as a blocking upper-level area of high pressure remains parked near Greenland.
(MORE: Eastern Rain Fatigue)
Next weekend, however, the jet stream will bulge northward into southeastern Canada, allowing high pressure to develop at the surface over the eastern U.S. This means there will be an increased chance for near- to above-average temperatures and lower chances for rain or thunderstorms.

The weather pattern into midweek will feature an upper-level trough over the East, keeping cool and wet conditions across the region. Next weekend, an upper-level ridge will develop, allowing warmer air to build in the East.

In the meantime, the next round of rain and thunderstorms will accompany a low-pressure system pushing through the East into midweek.
A broad swath from New England to the Southeast could pick up 1 to 2 inches of rainfall through Tuesday as the low and its trailing cold front slide across the region.
(MAPS: 48-Hour Rainfall Forecast)

Rainfall Forecast Through Tuesday

The second half of the week looks drier, but there will still be scattered showers and thunderstorms at times as the upper-level trough remains overhead.
In addition to the unsettled conditions, temperatures will be 5 to 15 degrees cooler than average in the Northeast and portions of the South through Thursday. Highs will only top out in the 50s and 60s in parts of the Northeast, while temperatures will be in the upper 70s to lower 80s in much of the South.
(MAPS: 10-Day Forecast Highs/Lows)

This Week's Forecast

Good news, though. Highs will recover to early-June averages by Friday, and over the weekend, temperatures will warm above average.
This means the Northeast will be mainly in the 70s and 80s, with the South seeing temperatures in the 80s to lower 90s.
(MORE: June 2017 Temperature Outlook)
New York City will only see highs near 60 degrees Tuesday and Wednesday, but temperatures could reach the lower 80s by next Sunday.
Boston may struggle to rise above 50 degrees on Tuesday, but highs in the upper 70s to near 80 degrees are possible next Sunday.

Forecast Highs

The latest 6- to 10-day temperature outlook from NOAA's Climate Prediction Center suggests the above-average temperatures will continue in the East into next week, as well.
MORE: Severe Weather – May 27, 2017

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