When and Where to Expect Warmer Temperatures This Week

A strengthening of the polar vortex is beginning to take shape. This development will support a warming trend during the second week of February, moving from west to east across the Midwest and to the East Coast. Read on for a closer look at the details of this gradual moderation in the temperatures expected this week.

Temperatures Rising From West to East

A warming trend will bring relief to the frozen central and eastern U.S. in the days ahead. However, forecasters warn that the warmer temperatures will present their own set of concerns.

It has been a harsh winter for much of the eastern half of the country this year. An unstable polar vortex over the North Pole has allowed the frigid air typically locked up over the Arctic Circle to dive to the south and into the U.S. The presence of the relentless Arctic air has also contributed to the onslaught of snow and ice that has marked this winter.

This means that a stable polar vortex correlates with warmer temperatures in the U.S. As the vortex strengthens next week, the jet stream will also intensify. The west-to-east position of the jet stream will bring warmer air from the Pacific Ocean across the U.S., resulting in climbing temperatures as the week progresses.