Yes, it is now October, but it appears Mother Nature has not checked the calendar lately. Record high temperatures are putting fall on pause from Minnesota to Texas to Maine.
Keep those flannels, sweaters and pumpkin-spice lattes nearby though, weather models have fall temperatures poised to invade. The Climate Prediction Center is even hinting at the first frost of the season for some areas.
FALL TAKES A PAUSE WITH HEAT EXPANDING FROM CENTRAL US TO NORTHEAST THIS WEEK
The mercury drops in the Northern Plains and Rockies first. A new storm and cold front, the leading edge of refreshing and crisp Canadian air, pushes through the central U.S. through midweek. Minneapolis goes from 91 on Sunday to low 70s midweek and 50s for the end of the week.
On average, August 27 is the last day Minneapolis feels 90 degrees for the year. Not 2023 though, when organizers were forced to cancel the Twin Cities Marathon for “Black Flag Conditions” on Sunday when the high hit 90. October 1 is generally the last day the Twin Cities feel 80 degrees.
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“Extreme and Dangerous Conditions: The latest weather forecast update projects record-setting heat conditions that do not allow a safe event for runners, supporters and volunteers,” posted organizers on the website.
Even Texas will feel a bit of cooling relief. Residents have endured a summer-long heat wave. The cold front won’t bring much cool air to the Lone Star State, but thunderstorms with heavy rain will shield the heat-weary state from the Sun to keep temperatures in check.
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After starting the week in the 90s, temperatures will drop into the 70s and 80s for midweek.
Talk about weather whiplash, across many areas of the U.S., temperatures could fall 30 degrees into next weekend.
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“In terms of the temperature departure from normal all through the South, up through the Northern Plains here, 20 to 30 degrees above average. Unfortunately, we might have to hang up the flannels at least for the next few days,” said Meteorologist Haley Meier. “But notice on the very tail end of the screen here on this monitor, the blue, it is going to come into the area, and we will be returning temperatures back to normal.”
The Northeast will be the last area to get the taste of fall.
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Come the weekend, weather models are showing a second shot of cool air filtering across the center part of the country and pushing east.
“Forecast models suggest that on Friday and into this weekend, a secondary cold front could help to reinforce this leftover front, bringing with it another shot of cooler Canadian air into nearly the entire Eastern U.S.,” said the FOX Forecast Center.
The CPC forecast shows areas of the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys very likely cooler from October 7 to 11. The cool down won’t last long for the Northern Plains though. The CPC forecast puts the Northwest, the northern and central Rockies and the Northern Plains in the likely warmer category.
Keep checking back on this developing story. FOX Weather will continually update the forecast as we move closer to next weekend.