Heat Wave Setting Record Highs in the Midwest and Northeast Early This Week

Linda Lam
Published: June 12,2017
A weather pattern change has ushered in summerlike heat and record temperatures for the Midwest and Northeast early this week.
For many in the East, this taste of summer is a welcome sight, given the recent cool and wet pattern that dominated the region in early June.
(MORE: June Temperature Outlook)
This rise in temperatures across the Midwest and Northeast is due to a change in the upper-level weather pattern.

Upper-level setup for the expected heat early this week.

An upper-level trough, or southward dip in the jet stream, has dug into the Pacific Northwest, allowing a strong upper-level ridge of high pressure, or northward bulge in the jet stream, to build east of the Rockies.
The heat that has built underneath the aforementioned ridge of high pressure broke or tied several daily record highs in the Great Lakes and Northeast on Monday. This included Atlantic City, New Jersey (94 degrees), Allentown, Pennsylvania (92 degrees - tied), Harrisburg, Pennsylvania (92 degrees - tied), Lansing, Michigan (95 degrees - tied), Worcester, Massachusetts (90 degrees - tied), Providence, Rhode Island (95 degrees), New York City (93 degrees - tied), Newark, New Jersey (97 degrees), Cleveland (93 degrees - tied), Albany, New York (95 degrees), Washington D.C. (95 degrees - tied), and Bridgeport, Connecticut (93 degrees).
While not a record, Chicago reached 95 degrees Monday, which was the first time Chicago had been that hot since Sept. 10, 2013.

Heat Wave Persists Early This Week

The heat dome will continue to dominate the weather in the Midwest and Northeast early this week.
High temperatures will range from 10 to 20 degrees above average on Tuesday from the upper Midwest eastward through the Ohio Valley and into the Northeast and mid-Atlantic.
The National Weather Service has posted a heat advisory for Philadelphia and surrounding counties, as well as for the urban areas in northeast New Jersey, where the heat index – how hot it will feel with the humidity – is expected to reach the upper 90s Tuesday afternoon.

This Week's Forecast

Highs on Tuesday will soar into the 90s once again in the mid-Atlantic, as well as in the central Plains and mid-Mississippi Valley to as far north as Chicago.
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Highs in the 80s are expected farther north in parts of New England, upstate New York and the Great Lakes region to southern Minnesota.

Forecast Highs

A few more daily record highs could be threatened on Tuesday (current record is in parentheses):

• Tuesday: Chicago (95 degrees); St. Louis (98 degrees); Cleveland (93 degrees); Philadelphia (95 degrees); New York City (96 degrees); Washington D.C. (96 degrees); Baltimore (97 degrees) and Springfield, Illinois (95 degrees)

By Wednesday, a backdoor cold front will slide southward, bringing cooler conditions to the Northeast. Highs will remain several degrees above average in parts of the Midwest and Great Lakes, however.

Not Just High Temperatures Increasing

In addition to the hotter-than-average high temperatures, low temperatures will also be warmer than average for mid-June.
Early to mid-week, low temperatures will be 10 to 20 degrees warmer than average for this time of year from the Midwest into the Northeast.

Forecast Morning Lows

This translates into lows only in the 70s for much of the central and eastern U.S., with the exceptions of northern New England, upstate New York and the Appalachians, as well as from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan through northern Minnesota into North Dakota, where lows in the 50s and 60s are expected.
(MAPS: Weekly Planner)
It will also feel humid, with dew points rising into the 60s to around 70 degrees. This combination of temperatures in the 90s and high dew points will make it feel even hotter than what the thermometer indicates.
When temperatures remain warm overnight, it can be dangerous as those without air conditioning do not get as much of a break from the heat. Considering that this stretch of heat and humidity will last several days, this could result in health impacts, especially in large cities.
(MORE: Four Things Extreme Heat Does To Your Body)
Through early this week, most areas will also see dry conditions and plenty of sunshine, with not much in the way of cloud cover to give some relief from the heat.
Be sure to take frequent breaks, slow down and reduce outdoor work or activities, stay in air-conditioning as much as possible, drink plenty of water and wear lightweight and light-colored clothing during this heat wave.

Record Highs Recap

The upper Midwest and Northeast set many new record highs Sunday. This included La Crosse, Wisconsin (94 degrees - tied), Mason City, Iowa (95 degrees - tied), Burlington, Vermont (95 degrees), Montpelier, Vermont (88 degrees), Bangor, Maine (91 degrees - tied), and Caribou, Maine (91 degrees). Burlington's high of 95 degrees on Sunday was not only a daily record high, but it was also the earliest 95-degree day in history for this Vermont city.
Several daily record highs were tied or broken in the north-central states on Saturday. Included were Pierre, South Dakota (103 degrees), Bismarck, North Dakota (101 degrees), Minot, North Dakota (96 degrees), and La Crosse, Wisconsin (96 degrees).
A few record highs were set in the Plains on Friday, including in Pierre, South Dakota (103 degrees), Valentine, Nebraska (102 degrees), Bismarck, North Dakota (101 degrees), Rapid City, South Dakota (99 degrees), and Minot, North Dakota (96 degrees - tied).
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