The Weather ChannelThis past week has seen record warmth across much of the East but a big change is on the way. An arctic blast will be arriving this weekend with the first freeze of the season for many, and record low temperatures are possible as well.
High temperatures early this week were above average from the Northeast to the South. , set a record high of 90 degrees on Monday, which was the latest 90 degree temperature recorded there (the previous record was October 21). Record high temperatures were also tied on Monday in (84),(85) and (89).
On Tuesday, record high temperatures were set once again, including , (80), , (79), , (86) and (77).
The warmth of earlier this week is coming to an end, and the areas that saw record highs on Monday and Tuesday will see temperatures plummet by this weekend. This is thanks to a cold front that will begin to plunge into the Great Lakes on Thursday night, bringing chilly temperatures and even some snow showers.
This cold front will continue moving south and east, pushing off the East Coast by late Saturday.
It will feel chilly and raw from the Midwest into the Southeast and it will be breezy behind the cold front too.
Frost and Freeze Alerts
Lows Saturday morning will drop into the 30s all the way into parts of the Deep South, with a freeze possible as far south as the Ozarks and Tennessee. Freeze watches and warnings have already been posted for parts of Kansas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Arkansas and Illinois. A few record lows are possible, including in where the current record is 26 degrees.
Saturday Morning Lows
Sunday Morning Lows
Even with sunshine on Saturday afternoon temperatures will be 10 to 20 degrees below average for this time of year from the Great Lakes to the Sunshine state. Highs will be mainly in the 40s and 50s, with 60s towards the Gulf Coast. It will be windy as well, which will make it feel even colder.
It will be even chillier on Sunday morning in the South with the northern suburbs of possibly dropping below freezing. Temperatures may also dip below freezing in northern Mississippi, Alabama and western parts of North and South Carolina.
The first widespread freeze of the season is possible in parts of the Tennessee Valley on Sunday morning, as light winds and clear skies are expected behind the cold front. Record low temperatures are in jeopardy in Florida on Sunday, including (54), (46), (51) and (49).
Temperatures will begin to moderate on Monday, but the day will start off chilly from the Northeast to the Southeast where lows will generally be in the 30s. This quick shot of winter will just be a memory for most of the East by Tuesday.