Heat Wave to Spread Record Highs From Midwest to Northeast Into Early Next Week

Linda Lam
Published: June 9,2017
A weather pattern change will take shape this weekend, resulting in summer-like heat and record temperatures for the Midwest and Northeast into next week.
For many in the East, this taste of summer will be welcome, given the recent cool and wet pattern that has dominated the region in early June.
(MORE: June Temperature Outlook)
This rise in temperatures and expected heat wave in the Midwest and Northeast is due to a change in the upper-level pattern.

Upper-level setup for the expected heat beginning this weekend.

An upper-level trough, or southward dip in the jet stream, will dig into the Pacific Northwest this weekend, allowing a strong upper-level ridge of high pressure, or northward bulge in the jet stream, to build across the Plains and into the Midwest. This ridge will then slide into the East into next week.
This setup will allow a more southerly flow to develop, bringing warmer temperatures northward.

Heat Builds This Weekend in Plains, Midwest

On Saturday, high temperatures will be 10 to 20 degrees above average for portions of the northern and central Plains into the upper Midwest and Great Lakes. Highs will climb into the 80s and 90 across these regions.

Forecast Highs

(MAPS: 10-Day Forecast)
Warmer-than-average temperatures will spread from the Plains through the Midwest and into the Northeast on Sunday. Temperatures will top 90 degrees from Chicago to Detroit, as well as along the Northeast coast as far north as Boston.
Potential daily record highs will become more widespread by Sunday, including (current record is in parentheses): Des Moines, Iowa (97 degrees); New York City (95 degrees); Albany, New York (94 degrees); Bangor, Maine (91 degrees) and Green Bay, Wisconsin (91 degrees).

Heat Wave Persists Into Next Week

This heat dome will dominate the weather in the Midwest and Northeast into next week.
High temperatures will range from 10 to 25 degrees above average on Monday through the central and northern Plains eastward into the Northeast and mid-Atlantic.

Next Week's Forecast

Highs on Monday will soar into the 90s once again from the central Plains to the East Coast, including the southern Great Lakes. Low to mid-90s will reach all the way into southern New England. Highs in the 80s are expected farther north in northern New England, upstate New York and from the northern Great Lakes into the northern Plains.
(MORE: The Triple-Digit Club)
On Tuesday, temperatures will begin to moderate in the Plains, but will remain toasty in the Midwest and Northeast, with highs up to 25 degrees above average.
Numerous daily record highs will be threatened on Monday and Tuesday.

Possible Record Highs

In addition to the possible record highs shown above, records may also be set in the following cities (current record is in parentheses):

• Monday: Omaha, Nebraska (100 degrees); Louisville, Kentucky (97 degrees); Baltimore (96 degrees); Springfield, Illinois (95 degrees); Newark, New Jersey (95 degrees); New York City (93 degrees); Green Bay, Wisconsin (92 degrees) and Binghamton, New York (86 degrees)
• Tuesday: Richmond, Virginia (98 degrees); Baltimore (97 degrees); Louisville, Kentucky (96 degrees); Chicago (95 degrees); Springfield, Illinois (95 degrees); Indianapolis (95 degrees); Grand Rapids, Michigan (95 degrees) and Pittsburgh (92 degrees)

The result will likely be a heat wave, with several consecutive days with highs in the 90s, for numerous cities in the Midwest and Northeast.
By late next week, temperatures are expected to begin to cool in the Midwest, as a cold front is forecast to push through the region.
However, these warmer-than-average conditions may last through much of next week in the Northeast, mid-Atlantic, southern Great Lakes and Ohio Valley, according to the latest 6- to 10-day outlook from the Climate Prediction Center.

Not Just High Temperatures Increasing

In addition to the hotter-than-average high temperatures, low temperatures will also be warmer than average for early to mid-June.
Over the weekend, lows will be 10 to 15 degrees above average through the Midwest. Early to mid-next 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.
A few record-warm lows may also be set, including (current record is in parentheses): Green Bay, Wisconsin (68 degrees), and Des Moines, Iowa (74 degrees), on Sunday morning, as well as Minneapolis (72 degrees) and Grand Rapids, Michigan (70 degrees), on Monday morning.
(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 next 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.
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