Taste of Fall for the Central and Eastern U.S. on Deck This Week

A surge of polar air is going to make it feel more like October than the beginning of September across a large swath of the central and eastern U.S. next week. Who will get caught up in this early taste of fall? Read on for all of the details.

Fall-like Temperatures Taking Over the Eastern Half of U.S. This Week

About 250 million Americans in the central and eastern portions of the country will be reaching for jackets next week as a blast of cool air pushes through the region. Temperatures will slide to levels more typical of the middle to latter parts of October. Forecasters are predicting that the majority of the country east of the Rockies will experience some degree of chill. The exceptions will be in Florida, the central and southern portions of Texas, and the coastal areas of the Atlantic.

The dramatic change in the weather will be the most noticeable in the overnight hours. This will be especially evident in the South.

The cooler weather is coming at the hands of a buckle in the jet stream, sending chilly air from Canada down to the south. How cool will it get in the days ahead? The forecast is calling for daytime highs to land 10 to 20 degrees below the norm for the first week of September. Areas that experience cloudy and rainy conditions could see the mercury tumble as low as 30 degrees below the average.

A weather pattern such as this would produce heavy bands of lake-effect snow if it hit later in the year. However, the warmer ground and water temperatures will prevent the formation of any wintry precipitation. Instead, the warmer waters circulating in the Great Lakes will pair with the surge of cooler air to raise the threat of waterspouts. Additionally, the gusty winds could present danger for boaters on small watercraft as the waves reach higher heights.

The windy conditions and the presence of clouds will work to prevent widespread frost or freeze issues. However, should the cloud's part or the winds die down, you can expect the chance of these conditions in the coldest spots of the Plains, the Midwest, and the interior Northeast.