As we approach the beginning of meteorological spring, forecasters are noting a significant shift in weather patterns that will bring warmer temperatures to most of the U.S. in the upcoming week. It’s about time we caught a break from the harsh cold that has been gripping the nation. The recent onslaught of frigid arctic air has caused temperatures to drop to near-freezing levels even as far south as Florida and the Gulf Coast. Winter storms have surprised many by bringing snow to regions that rarely see such wintry precipitation.
Take, for instance, the picturesque scene in Virginia Beach, Virginia, where snow blanketed the sandy shores and palm trees not too long ago. In an unprecedented event for the region, a Blizzard Warning was issued along the Gulf Coast back in January.
The shift in temperatures began in the West, where the arctic air has been displaced by milder air streaming in from the North Pacific Ocean. Across the central U.S., temperatures have risen above average, with numerous areas west of the Mississippi River experiencing temperatures 10-20 degrees higher than usual.
This marks a stark contrast to just last week when temperatures were lingering 30-50 degrees below average in many places. Bismarck, North Dakota, is just one example of a location that will feel the impact of this rapid temperature change as it warms up significantly in the coming days.
Consider the drastic temperature swing in Bismarck – from a bone-chilling low of 39 degrees below zero on February 18 to an expected high of around 47 degrees on Monday, almost a 90-degree jump in less than a week.
Similarly, Minneapolis has also witnessed substantial temperature fluctuations. Last Tuesday, the city recorded a frigid morning low of 15 degrees below zero, but is now anticipating a “balmy” high of 48 degrees on Monday, signaling a noteworthy 63-degree shift in just one week.
According to the FOX Forecast Center, temperatures are forecasted to rise back into the 70s in the southern Plains and Southeast this week, while the central Plains and mid-South regions will reach the 60s. Residents of the northern Plains, Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, interior Northeast, and New England can expect temperatures to climb into the 40s to near 50 degrees over the next few days.
For the millions of individuals residing along the Interstate 95 corridor in the mid-Atlantic and Northeast regions, the FOX Forecast Center predicts comfortable temperatures in the 50s and lower 60s for the majority of the week.
Original article source: Taste of spring invades US to close out February with wild temperature swings for millions
