Winter conditions return to Northeast, heat builds in Southwest

A contrasting pattern will be in place across the nation this week as Southwest cities soar to 100 degrees and visibility-reducing snow squalls and brisk conditions impact the Great Lakes and interior Northeast.

A contrasting pattern is setting up across the nation in terms of temperatures, AccuWeather forecasters say.

While some residents across the southwestern United States will be baking in the first projected 100-degree day of the year, those residing in the Northeast will face the total opposite end of the spectrum with daytime highs barely reaching beyond the freezing mark.

The pattern ushering in this notable disparity across the country will be a northward bulge in the jet stream across the West and a dramatic southward dip in the jet across the East.

As a result, this setup allows for a surge of warmth from Mexico to expand across the Southwest while frosty, February-like air out of Canada can filter down across the Great Lakes and Northeast regions.

Northeast: Don't put away the winter coats just yet

The timing of the chilliest air will differ depending on if you are located in the northern Plains or mid-Atlantic and Tennessee Valley. For residents in Minneapolis, for example, the core of the cold arrived on Monday with highs cresting into the upper 30s Fahrenheit.

In Chicago and Detroit, the cooler air will set in through Tuesday, with both cities projected to only rise into the lower or mid-40s F during this time.

For metro areas closer to the Northeast coast, such as New York City, Providence, Rhode Island, and Boston, daytime temperatures in the 40s will be commonplace through Wednesday.

"It will feel like winter for many across the Midwest and Northeast at the start of the week as Arctic air surges south from Canada. Temperatures across much of the Midwest and interior Northeast will be as much as 10-20 degrees F below the historical average, and with a gusty wind out of the northwest, conditions will feel very chilly," explained AccuWeather Meteorologist Alex DaSilva.

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Following the springtime tease at the end of last week into the start of the weekend when many Northeast locations observed temperatures cresting the 70-degree mark, this return of winterlike conditions will be prominent and even may be disappointing for some.

Overnight temperatures early this week are projected to dip down into the 20s F across much of the Great Lakes and interior Northeast, increasing the heating demand throughout the region.

Snow returns to the Great Lakes, Northeast

Amid the cooler pattern, moisture advancing southward out of Canada and into the northern tier of the country will bring chances for wintry precipitation. While most areas from Michigan to interior Maine can experience a burst of snow showers through the early week period, the steadiest snow that falls will be confined to the typical Great Lake snowbelts.

Cities like Erie, Pennsylvania, Buffalo, New York, will be within the corridor to experience a reduction in visibility into Tuesday afternoon as winds pick up and gust as high as 30 mph.

While actual temperatures across northern Wisconsin and Michigan into northwest Pennsylvania and western New York are projected to dip as low as the teens and lower 20s F, AccuWeather RealFeel™ Temperatures early Tuesday morning can range into the single digits for some as blustery winds advance out of the northwest.

Counties in northern Michigan still experiencing power outages from the ice storm that occurred over a week ago will be especially vulnerable to the chilly conditions on the way. Just over 35,000 residents were still being impacted by outages in Michigan as of Tuesday morning, according to PowerOutage.US.

First 100-degree day of the year for Phoenix

Later this week, the heat is expected to build across the desert regions in Southern California, Nevada, Arizona and the surrounding states will not only bring about the first occasion of reaching 100-degrees for cities like Phoenix, but will also challenge daily records.

"Many spots across the Southwest will observe temperatures between 10-20 degrees F above the historical average as the week progresses," noted DaSilva.

While the core of the heat will set up from Thursday to Saturday for most, the surrounding days will still present very warm conditions compared to those observed over the weekend.

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