Coastal storm to pump the brakes on nice weather for Northeast

While an offshore storm will cause trouble in New England into the end of the week, a shift in the weather pattern will allow warmer air from the Midwest to push eastward as the weekend progresses.

Prior to the warmup across the Northeast, a storm system that recently brought showers and thunderstorms to the Southeast states has moved out to sea has stalled and strengthened off the New England coast. This nor'easter will not only delay the warmup but will bring stormy conditions to New England through Friday night.

Generally dry weather will hold around the eastern Great Lakes, central Appalachians and lower mid-Atlantic region during the first couple of days of April, aside from spotty pop-up showers that can contain wet snowflakes and small hail during the afternoon hours.

Meanwhile, the strengthening storm over the Atlantic Ocean will cause chilly air to dig into New England and allow winds to howl along the coast as far to the south as eastern North Carolina. Areas of rain and wet snow are also in store for New England due to the lingering storm.

AccuWeather meteorologists will be monitoring the storm for organization, strengthening and track over the next couple of days.

A coastal storm swirls off the eastern United States over the western Atlantic Ocean on Wednesday, April 1, 2020. (NOAA / GOES-East)

"There is a remote chance the offshore storm could evolve into a subtropical storm or hybrid storm as there will be a warm core associated with it for a time, but waters over the North Atlantic are chilly and will be a mitigating factor," AccuWeather Hurricane Expert Dan Kottlowski said.

Precipitation will be generally confined to New England through Friday, targeting places like Boston, Providence, Rhode Island, and Portland, Maine, but the rain could spread as far to the west as parts of the Champlain and Hudson valleys at times.

As the storm meanders along the New England coast, a strong north-northeast wind will also bring along the threat of coastal flooding and beach erosion, especially during the high tide cycles.

Gale watches and warnings were posted for coastal areas from South Carolina to Maine as of Wednesday midday. Small craft operators should exercise caution as winds can gust to gale force (39-46 mph) along the Massachusetts coast.

"Well offshore, seas will build to 25 feet due to the strengthening and lingering storm," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said.

Farther inland, aside from a noticeable northerly breeze preventing the AccuWeather RealFeel™ Temperatures from reaching what the actual thermometer reads, sunshine is in store through Friday in places across the interior such as Pittsburgh and Buffalo, New York.

On Friday, areas of rain over New England will dissolve to spotty showers. However, it is possible that a shower visits the New York City area and New Jersey before the storm packs its bags and accelerates to the east. As the storm retreats, the stage will be set for drier air over the Midwest to head eastward.

Warmer weather is expected to make a return this weekend, but it will first begin to build across the nation's heartland during late week. An area of high pressure will move east and help to push the wet and chilly air well off the Atlantic coast as the weekend progresses.

For those experiencing cabin fever in the nearly nationwide quarantine due to COVID-19, Saturday is expected to feature largely dry conditions from the mid-Atlantic to New England for those trying to get outside. Although there will likely still be more clouds than sun overhead, temperatures will begin to trend higher.

Many locales will have temperatures in the 40s and 50s into late in the week, before having them replaced with 50s and 60s by the end of the weekend.

Some cities across the mid-Atlantic may even make a run at 70 degrees Fahrenheit by Sunday.

Although it may be tempting to head outside during the tranquil conditions across the Northeast this weekend, it is important to check in with newly implemented laws at the local and state level regarding stay-at-home orders.

At the very least, conditions across the Northeast and mid-Atlantic should be mild enough to crack open a few windows to allow some fresh air to come inside.

Similar conditions will extend into Sunday across the Northeast as well, as high pressure takes hold over the region.

"While many locales across the Northeast will have a slight moderating trend in temperatures this weekend, highs will reach up to 10 degrees above normal in many areas into early next week," AccuWeather Meteorologist Max Gawryla said.

Along with the moderating trend in temperatures into next week, chances for a few showers will accompany the warmer weather.

Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.