Over 100 record highs likely this week as temperatures soar to summerlike levels
A volatile week of weather is setting up for the contiguous U.S., with extreme temperatures, severe thunderstorms and a widespread fire weather risk all set to affect millions from coast to coast — with more than 100 record highs likely to be set.
To kick off the week, highs as much as 30 to 45 degrees above average will lead to nearly 70 record highs Monday and close to 50 record highs Tuesday.
The warm temperatures will make it feel more like spring across the Plains and Midwest with highs in the 60s and 70s. For the southern Plains, the high temperatures will be more typical of summer with high temperatures forecast to soar into the low 80s to as hot as the mid-90s for parts of Texas.
In addition to the dozens of daily record highs that will be set, some February monthly records may also be tied or broken. Major cities that will likely set record highs in the coming days include Dallas; Des Moines, Iowa; Kansas City, Missouri; Minneapolis; Little Rock, Arkansas; and Memphis, Tennessee.
The warmth won’t last long, however, with a dramatic drop in temperatures expected by midweek. A sharp cold front will drop high temperatures 20-40 degrees when comparing Tuesday’s highs to Wednesday’s highs in the Plains.
This will translate to Dallas going from a high in the low 90s on Monday to low 50s by Wednesday.
For areas like Chicago the temperature change will be even more extreme, from record warmth Tuesday with highs in the mid-70s to wind chills in the teens and single digits by Wednesday morning.
The drastic change in temperatures will come along with a February storm moving across the country through the week. Ahead of the storm will be the record-warm temperatures, while behind the storm will be bitter-cold air and blustery winds.
Where the warm and cold air clash, there will be the risk for severe thunderstorms and heavy rainfall.
On Monday, the storm system will affect the West and bring heavy snow from the Cascades to the Rockies plus gusty winds from Montana to New Mexico.
Winter storm warnings are up out west from the Rockies to the Pacific Northwest, with snow totals in the Cascades forecast to reach 2 to 4 feet through Tuesday.
On Tuesday the storm system will shift east, bringing heavy snow to the Upper Midwest and severe storms from Missouri to Michigan. Light to moderate rain will also move into the mid-Atlantic and Northeast.
The severe storm risk Tuesday includes 25 million people and the metro areas of Chicago, Indianapolis, St. Louis and Toledo, Ohio. Very large and destructive hail, up to golf ball size, and isolated tornadoes are the greatest risks, followed by damaging winds.
These severe storms may begin late in the day, possibly not until around or after sunset, and persist into the overnight hours. This will compound the danger level, as nighttime twisters are more than twice as likely to be fatal compared to their daytime counterparts.
A tornado risk this far north in the month of February is rare, as the typical regions that experience severe thunderstorms this time of year are the Southeast and Gulf Coast states.
According to Tornado Archive, Indiana has only recorded 57 tornadoes during the month of February, and Illinois just 68. Compare this to Mississippi and Alabama, which have 282 and 235 February tornadoes, respectively.
By Wednesday, the storm system will bring heavy rain, strong winds and perhaps a few rumbles of thunder to the East Coast, including the I-95 corridor.
This article was originally published on NBCNews.com
