Early August Won't Feel Much Like the Heart of Summer in Parts of Central, Eastern U.S.

Linda Lam
Published: August 2,2017
The beginning of August won't feel terribly summerlike for portions of the central and eastern U.S.
The weather over the eastern two-thirds of the country has been influenced by a trough, or southward dip in the jet stream, for much of the summer, resulting in relatively cool and wet conditions in many areas. This pattern will continue through early August with below-average temperatures prevailing for areas east of the Rockies.
This upper-level pattern will also allow a strong upper-level ridge, or northward bulge in the jet stream, to develop over the West and bring the potential for all-time record heat to the Northwest this week.
Last week, this setup allowed a rare July cold front to push through the South, which dropped dew points and lowered temperatures. The pleasant change certainly did not feel like the end of July.
(MORE: 7 Odd Weather Events Happened in Late July)
Now, another unusual cold front is expected to track from the northern Plains through the South and East into this weekend.

The blue contours on the map indicates where cooler-than-average temperatures are expected.

This cold front will slowly push southeast through the Midwest midweek. The risk of showers and thunderstorms will also return, and a few severe thunderstorms cannot be ruled out. However, the lack of moisture ahead of this system will limit the threat of flooding.
Friday into Saturday, this cold front will slide through the East and much of the South. A few severe thunderstorms may accompany this system, but, overall, a return to wetter conditions is anticipated.
Behind this front, cooler-than-average temperatures will make another appearance. Below is a closer look at this mild early-August forecast.

First Week of August Forecast

Below-average temperatures engulfed the northern Plains on Wednesday and will now spread into the central Plains and upper Midwest on Thursday.
High temperatures will be up to 25 degrees colder than average for early August, which corresponds to temperatures topping out in the 60s and 70s. A few areas in northern Wisconsin and Minnesota may see highs only in the 50s Thursday.

Forecast Highs Compared to Average

By Saturday, cooler-than-average conditions will stretch from the Plains into much of the South and East. However, portions of New England and Florida will likely see temperatures near average.
(FORECAST: Denver | Kansas City | Nashville | Pittsburgh)
The only areas east of the Rockies that will see highs climb into the 90s this weekend will be portions of Texas and central and southern Florida.

Five-Day Forecast

In addition to the drop on the thermometer, the humidity will also decrease, once again, from the northern and central Plains eastward into the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, where dew points will generally tumble into the 50s.
(MAPS: 10-Day Forecast)
Low temperatures will also be cooler than average, especially in the Plains and Midwest, through this weekend.

Forecast Morning Lows

Thursday through Saturday mornings, lows in the 40s and 50s will be common in these regions.
This will make it feel more like early fall in many spots, including Chicago, where lows in the mid- to upper 50s are the average lows in early to mid-September, and Oklahoma City, where minimum temperatures in the lower 60s are expected in mid-September.

Will Summer's Searing Heat Return?

Another disturbance may move through the East early next week and usher in another round of below-average temperatures, along with comfortable dew-point levels for the Plains, Midwest and Northeast.
NOAA's Climate Prediction Center (CPC) has highlighted areas in the Plains and Midwest as having the greatest chance of cooler-than-average temperatures next week.

Temperature Outlook

For those looking for summer's searing heat, it should become more humid in the South next week, but clouds and storms may help to suppress temperatures.
(MORE: August Temperature Outlook)
There are also indications that there may be some moderation in temperatures in the South and East late next week, ahead of yet another cold front, but the details remain uncertain.
Changes in the upper-level pattern in the northern Pacific may finally bring a shift in this stubborn weather pattern in the U.S. in the second half of August.
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