It’s the calm before the storm – for the temperature, that is.
After an early spring marked by ups and downs in temperature trends, forecasters say much of May will be cooler than normal for most of the country, ahead of what could be a summer of coast-to-coast heat.
The cooldown will be most pronounced in the Midwest, said the Climate Prediction Center’s meteorologist Brad Pugh. In that region, there could even be some overnight lows that dip into frosting or freezing territory, he said.
For most of the eastern half of the United States, at least the first part of the month will feel more like early spring, AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Expert Paul Pastelok said. During that time, there may be some sunny days, but “more times than not, we’re going to have a lot of clouds during the day,” Pastelok said.
The notable exception to the cooling trend is the West Coast, especially the Pacific Northwest, which is getting an early start to above-average temperatures. The transition to summer-like temperatures there will be much quicker than the rest of the nation, and during the course of May, the warmth will spread from West to East as summer approaches, Pastelok said.
