Wide Temperature Gulf Setting Up Across the U.S. This Weekend

Just in time for the weekend, your updated forecast is here. Who will need to make backup plans for outdoor activities and who is in the clear? Read on for all of the details.

Mixed Bag of Weather in Store for the Weekend

The American Automobile Association (AAA) is predicting that a record 45.1 million people will travel at least 50 miles away from home over the three-day weekend. With a wet and stormy forecast on the horizon for millions of Americans, the travel could be a slow go at times.

A slow-moving storm system is threatening to rain out outdoor plans over the extended weekend. Meanwhile, a stark temperature gradient will split the nation. Conditions will be the most volatile and unpredictable in areas to the east of the Rockies.

The most compelling story of the weekend will be the vast temperature split across the U.S. Daily highs are expected to trend well below average for the Northeast and the Great Lakes. This will translate to top readings in the 60s and low 70s for these areas. Some parts of upstate New York and New England will struggle to climb out of the 50s to start the weekend, making it feel more like the beginning of spring than the end of the season.

Conversely, it will be much warmer along the Gulf Coast and into Florida. In general, communities to the south of Interstate 20 should expect widespread readings in the 90s on Saturday and Sunday. A buildup of clouds and more rain on Monday will bring down the mercury in the South while Florida will remain toasty.

Moving out West, the Desert Southwest will also feel more like summer with readings in the 90s and low 100s. As is typical, coastal California, the Pacific Northwest, and the Rockies will remain comfortable with temperatures hovering in the 60s and the 70s for highs.

Saturday's Forecast Predicting Two Main Areas of Rain

Looking at Saturday specifically, the wet pattern is forecast to set up over two separate areas of the country. A lingering nor'easter will pair with cooler-than-normal temperatures across Upstate New York and New England to force some activities indoors. While the primary impacts of the nor'easter have departed, the persistent energy associated with the storm could still generate spotty rain showers and thunderstorms to start the weekend.

Most of the action will focus on a swath of land from the central Appalachians and to the northeast into the interior portions of New England. Most of the coastline should remain clear, however, an errant rain shower could creep down the mountains and reach the Interstate 95 corridor and to the east.

The uncertainty of the rain pattern could prove frustrating for those in the interior Northeast. The cycle of rain and sunshine breaks could repeat several times on Saturday. Temperatures will be highly dependent on whether the sun is out, as this is the time of the year when the influence of the sun's rays can have a significant effect on the mercury.

Additionally, forecasters are detailing that the strong sunshine will pair with unseasonably chilly air moving high in the atmosphere to create the billowing clouds that could go on to produce thunderstorms. While these instances will be sporadic in nature, it will be difficult to predict what areas of the Northeast may see a random storm pop up.

The second zone of rain showers and potential thunderstorms will set up over the northern and central Plains states and to the southeast into the lower and middle portions of the Mississippi Valley. Forecasters have been warning those in the Ozark Mountains region to be aware of the possibility of flash flooding in the days ahead as heavy rain continues to inundate the already water-logged area. In addition to the heart of the Ozarks, the chance of flooding will also impact southeastern Kansas and the northeastern corner of Oklahoma.

For example, places such as Pittsburgh, Kansas, are forecast to see a few inches of rain spread out over the extended weekend. After seeing thunderstorm activity during the morning hours on Saturday, conditions are expected to dry out slightly in the afternoon before the storm machine fires up again in the evening and overnight hours. Saturday's highs will reach the 70-degree mark before sliding into the low 60s overnight in this community in the southeastern corner of the Sunflower State.