Cool Air To Rush Across Northeast In Wake Of Record-Breaking Heat

People across the Northeast may experience a case of weather whiplash heading into the weekend as Mother Nature turns on the natural air conditioner. AccuWeather meteorologists say temperatures can plunge 30 degrees Fahrenheit in some locations as a cold front sweeps away the summertime heat that kicked off the month of June.

Temperatures fitting of the new season started right on cue with the beginning of meteorological summer on Thursday, June 1. Burlington, Vermont, residents experienced the earliest 96-degree temperature reading in the city’s history on Thursday, beating out the previous record of June 7, 2021. The first 90-degree day of the year there usually does not take place until June 19.

Following another day of near-record heat on Friday, AccuWeather expert meteorologists say significant changes are on the way for the weekend and beyond that may have some residents reaching for a jacket.

Temperatures will take a dramatic tumble in the wake of a cold front that is expected to charge southwestward through New England and into the mid-Atlantic region through Saturday. When cool air comes in from this direction, meteorologists call it a backdoor front.

Coastal locations are likely to experience the most significant temperature drops, forecasters say.

In Portland, Maine, and Boston, high temperatures that were in the 80s near the end of the week will fail to leave the 50s at the beginning of the weekend thanks to a chilly breeze off the Atlantic Ocean.

The cool air will have staying power across New England, meteorologists say. By the middle of next week, temperatures may rebound into only the lower 60s near the coast and may not climb much higher across areas farther inland.

Farther south and west, places such as New York City and Philadelphia can anticipate temperatures 10-20 degrees lower on Saturday afternoon compared to Friday afternoon.

Baltimore and Washington, D.C., are not expected to experience as significant of a cooldown compared to locations farther north and east. Still, AccuWeather forecasters say temperatures will drop closer to the historical average in both cities beginning Saturday and continuing into next week. High temperatures typically land in the lower 80s in early June for this section of the Interstate 95 corridor.

During the transition from record heat to chilly air, showers and thunderstorms will fire up and produce widely separated downpours through Saturday. Some thunderstorms could produce locally gusty winds and temporarily disrupt outdoor plans.

“People spending time outdoors this weekend in these areas should be prepared for rapidly changing weather conditions from storms that move in from a different direction than usual,” AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski said.

A persistent dip in the jet stream next week is expected to occasionally generate showers and thunderstorms throughout the first week of June.

Despite this pattern, the weather across most of the Northeast may remain bone dry given the hit-or-miss nature of the wet weather, according to Sosnowski.

This week’s United States Drought Monitor report indicated a rapidly growing area of abnormally dry to moderate drought conditions in the Northeast. A record-dry May in some locations contributed to these conditions.

“May 2023 ended up being the driest on record for places such as Harrisburg and Williamsport, Pennsylvania,” AccuWeather Senior On-Air Meteorologist Justin Povick said. Typically 3.75 to 4 inches of rain falls in the region during May.

Some lawns are starting to turn brown as a result of the lack of water, which is more typical of the latter part of the summer. Water levels on small streams are also being affected by the unusual dryness.

AccuWeather meteorologists say these conditions are likely to worsen given the weather pattern expected through next week. However, for some locations, there may be enough rain to water parched lawns and gardens and at least ease concerns of a flash drought.

Produced in association with AccuWeather