Wednesday, May 20, will bring highs in the upper 80s to lower 90s across much of the Northeast, according to the National Weather Service. It will be cooler along the immediate coast, with heat indices close to actual high temperatures.
The shift will affect much of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, including New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Maryland, and Virginia.
AccuWeather says more than 80 million people across the eastern US will feel a significant wave of hot air through Wednesday, with temperatures surging into the 80s and 90s. Heat indices could exceed 100 degrees in some areas, AccuWeather said.
AccuWeather graphics show the I-95 corridor staying very warm to hot on Wednesday afternoon, with humid air in place and cooler air waiting to the west. Cooler ocean air will keep temperatures lower along parts of the immediate coast.
Then the cold front will push through.
The National Weather Service says showers and a chance of thunderstorms will develop by the afternoon. An isolated strong-to-severe storm could produce damaging winds and large hail.
The front will also bring a major temperature change.
AccuWeather graphics show much of the I-95 corridor running 20 to 30 degrees lower by Thursday, May 21. The cooler air will stretch from Virginia and Maryland through Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, and farther into New England.
"The seemingly endless temperature roller coaster this spring will continue through the holiday weekend with another sharp cooldown across the northeastern quarter of the nation," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderson said.
"Not only may cool-weather-sensitive individuals be reaching for jackets, but even some hardy cool-weather fans may feel the need for long sleeves. The sudden chilly conditions can take a toll on some people, especially those with arthritis or muscle issues."
"This persistent pattern of major temperature swings has clearly wreaked havoc on plants and agriculture across the Northeast, as the region has gone from record-breaking heat to hard freezes, then back to leaf-withering heat and now another chilly stretch.”
Temperatures are expected to return closer to normal on Wednesday night, then stay much cooler late in the week. Some places that reach the 90s may struggle to get out of the 60s by Friday, May 22, and Saturday, May 23.
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