A dramatic weather shift is headed for the Northeast this week as midsummer heat and humidity replace near-record cold temperatures, pushing feels-like temperatures near triple digits before storms move in this weekend.
The upcoming heat wave marks a sharp contrast to the end of May. Just days ago on May 30, winter-like conditions buried the summit of New Hampshire’s Mt. Washington in snow and high winds. On Tuesday morning, a dry Canadian air mass brought large temperature swings to the region, dipping down to record lows in some locations.
The dry stretch is rapidly evaporating moisture from the ground. Under average early June conditions, the sun evaporates 0.15 to 0.25 of an inch of water per day from moist loam soil, which equals about one gallon of water for every 6 to 10 square feet of exposed dirt. Experts note that these evaporation rates will speed up as temperatures climb well above average.
By Friday, the weather will turn hot with a noticeable rise in humidity. Widespread afternoon highs in the 80s will cover the interior Northeast, while the Interstate 95 corridor—stretching from New York City down through Philadelphia and Washington, D.C.—will climb into the low to mid-90s. The mid-Atlantic heat wave is expected to last two to three days.
Combined with strong sunshine and light winds, the humidity will push AccuWeather RealFeel® Temperatures close to 100 degrees for several hours on Friday, Saturday, and potentially Sunday along the mid-Atlantic I-95 corridor. Even New England will experience a warmer, more humid trend from Friday to Saturday.
Overall, daytime temperatures this weekend will track 20 to 25 degrees higher across most of the region compared to the final weekend of May. The difference is even more extreme when compared to Memorial Day weekend, when daytime highs challenged record-cold maximums; this coming weekend is projected to be 30 to 40 degrees warmer in parts of the Northeast.
The dry spell and early-season heat are forecast to end over the weekend as a cold front moves through, sparking showers and thunderstorms. These storms will develop across the interior mid-Atlantic and New England before gradually spreading southward and eastward.
The shifting weather pattern could impact outdoor events, including the Belmont Stakes in Saratoga Springs, New York, on Saturday. Showers and thunderstorms are forecast for the area, bringing a risk of heavy downpours and lightning delays for the final leg of horse racing’s Triple Crown. For the rain to hold off until after the race, the approaching cold front would need to slow down significantly.
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