Fall on hold as temperatures soar across the U.S.
Fall lovers hoping for cooler September temperatures will have to wait a bit longer for autumn, as temperatures soar 10-20 degrees Fahrenheit higher than average across the Northeast, Midwest and southern Plains over the next few days.
The National Weather Service said late Monday that it expects record-breaking heat on Tuesday for East Coast cities stretching from Philadelphia and New York City down to Raleigh, North Carolina. Washington, D.C., is forecast to hit a daily record high of 99 F, while Newark, New Jersey, is expected to match its previous daily record at 94 F.
Across the Upper Midwest, the stifling heat will continue into Tuesday after temperatures soared over the weekend in Chicago, St. Louis and Minneapolis, breaking records at the Minnesota State Fair, where attendees endured heat reaching 98 F — the hottest Labor Day since 1913.
In large swaths of the southern Plains, including parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, high heat and humidity on Tuesday will make temperatures feel like 110 F, the National Weather Service said, continuing the prolonged heat wave in the region.
Temperatures are expected to cool off in the Midwest by Wednesday and by the end of the week for much of the Northeast, but the southern Plains will see little relief from the heat until next week.
Severe storms are also possible Tuesday across the Upper Midwest for regions stretching from Oklahoma to Missouri. In cities like Tulsa, Oklahmoa; Minneapolis; Duluth, Minnesota; and Joplin, Missouri, showers and strong winds are likely and hail and an isolated tornado are possible.
The National Weather Service said the storm front is forecast to move eastward on Wednesday, with potential severe thunderstorms bringing wind gusts and lightning to parts of the Great Lakes, Tennessee and the lower Mississippi Valley.
About 1,400 miles east of the Lesser Antilles, the National Hurricane Center is tracking a tropical depression that could upgrade to a major hurricane by the end of the week. The depression is expected to move north and remain over open waters with no threat to land.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
