MIDDLE MAY BLOWTORCH PATTERN POSSIBLE MIDWEST EASTWARD

MIDDLE MAY BLOWTORCH PATTERN POSSIBLE MIDWEST EASTWARD – Good morning everyone! The funk returns today for a final and fleeting encore before NYC spring begins to arrive for an extended amount of time. There will be a few hiccups along the way, but it looks as if we are emerging into a prolonged warm pattern; which will help the flowers and trees catch up quick, as well as warm those coastal areas up in the long run.

First the funk. Clouds lower and thicken all morning before rain arrives in a few hours. Expect periods of steady rain, a few rumbles of thunder, and highs are pretty much where they are at as we speak; mid 50’s.

Tomorrow, we warm up briefly, but instability remains in the area. Sun and clouds, plus low to mid 60’s will be on tap, but expect a few popcorn showers popping up in the afternoon with the help of a brief, reinforcing shot of cool air heading in. Clouds and widely scattered showers remain overnight tomorrow, then sun and clouds, a scattered shower, and very cool Sunday; highs in the mid 50’s.

Our warmup remains 100% on schedule, with sunny skies and low 60’s on Monday. Tuesday, we ramp things up into the upper 60’s to low 70’s, then upper 70’s to low 80’s possible Wednesday through Friday. We’ll have to wait and see what a piece of energy wants to do for Saturday and Sunday, but we could extend the warm temps for at least 1 more day, before we cool off briefly back towards normal/slightly above normal temps.

In the long range, a “blowtorch” pattern wants to set up, with a stubborn and strong ridge pumping hot air into the Midwest and well north. Typically when this happens, waves of warm air will drift east and give the east coast a treat in the form of some very warm air as long as no back door cold fronts spoil the party.

If this happens, this will help area catch up very fast in terms of getting those water temps back to normal (possibly slightly above normal when all is said and done), and help our gardens and trees catch up fast. This would also help set up the south shores for June and July, limiting the role that fog and seabreezes will have at the immediate shore. It will always have some sort of role, but with warmer water temps, those effects will be lessened.

At this point though, we are still far away and this is all speculation, so stay tuned.