After weeks of bone-chilling cold, warmer days are finally on the horizon for most of the U.S. And honestly, we’ve earned this break from the bitter winter weather.
The country has been hit hard by waves of arctic air, with temperatures dropping near freezing as far south as Florida and the Gulf Coast. Winter storms have even brought snow to places that rarely see it. Just last week, Virginia Beach saw its palm trees dusted with snow, and in January, the Gulf Coast was under a Blizzard Warning for the first time ever.
But things are finally starting to shift. Warmer air from the North Pacific Ocean has pushed into the western U.S., replacing the icy grip of arctic air. That warm-up is spreading east, and much of the central U.S. is already feeling the difference, with temperatures soaring 10-20 degrees above average.
It’s a huge change from just a week ago when parts of the country were seeing record-breaking cold. Take Bismarck, North Dakota, for example. On February 18, temperatures there plunged to a staggering 39 degrees below zero. By Monday, they’re expected to hit a daytime high of around 47 degrees — that’s nearly a 90-degree temperature swing in less than a week.
Minneapolis is getting a similar warm-up. Last Tuesday morning, temperatures dropped to 15 below zero. This Monday, the city is set to enjoy a relatively balmy 48 degrees — a 63-degree jump in just a few days.
And it’s not just the northern states feeling the heat. This week, temperatures in the southern Plains and Southeast will climb back into the 70s. The central Plains and mid-South will enjoy highs in the 60s, while the northern Plains, Upper Midwest, Great Lakes, and parts of the Northeast will rise into the 40s and 50s.
For those along the busy Interstate 95 corridor from the mid-Atlantic to the Northeast, expect comfortable highs in the 50s and lower 60s for most of the week. It’s safe to say winter’s icy grip is finally loosening — and not a moment too soon.
