The brief warmup across the Northeast late this week will quickly be brought to a halt later Friday as a strong cold front swings through and fires up severe storms in the process.
PHILADELPHIA – Thunderstorms will likely erupt across the Northeast later Friday as a strong cold front plows through the region.
Ahead of the front, temperatures will be quite warm, reaching the mid-to-upper 80s, the FOX Forecast Center said. The heat and seasonably humid air in place will provide the atmospheric energy needed for storms to grow and strengthen.
As surface temperatures warm, thunderstorms will likely form in the higher terrain around midday before moving eastward through the afternoon.
(FOX Weather)
The FOX Forecast Center said the current projections bring the storms near the I-95 corridor just as millions head home for their Friday evening commute.
“Between the potential for minor street flooding and strong straight line winds possibly getting in the way of train services, you want to make sure that you’re planning ahead,” FOX Weather Meteorologist Britta Merwin said.
Boston is inside a Level 2 out of 5 threat for severe weather, according to NOAA’s Storm Prediction Center, but New York City, Philadelphia, Baltimore and Washington, D.C. are just outside that zone in a Level 1 risk.
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(FOX Weather)
As storms initially develop, large hail will be the main risk before the threat increases for 60-plus mph winds as the storms reach the I-95 corridor. In addition, a spin up of a tornado cannot be ruled out.
The storms and cold front will bring a swift end to the warmth with pleasant temperatures expected this weekend. But the relief won’t last long as a budding heat wave looks to build next week with highs well into the 90s expected for multiple days.