Weather

May-like warmth will linger Wednesday from the Gulf Coast to the Appalachians and the East Coast. A southerly flow of air is expected to continue producing record challenging highs in the 60s, 70s and 80s across the region. The circulation of air around a high-pressure system off the East Coast will create the south breeze. Spotty showers will affect Florida’s eastern coast, and some rain is projected to reach the central and southern Appalachians later in the day.

Cold air will linger over much of the West and the Plains. A southern dip in the jet stream will continue to affect the region, bringing rain showers to the low elevations and snow showers to the mountains of California and Oregon. Cloud cover from this storm system will prevent temperatures from plummeting to frosty levels over much of the agricultural areas of California on Wednesday night.

In between the Eastern warmth and Western chill, drenching rain and gusty thunderstorms are expected to develop from Texas to Michigan and western New York. Enough rain may fall to renew or aggravate flooding conditions in urban areas and along small streams and larger rivers. Ice will develop on the northwestern flank of the rain.

FOCUS: Weather Pattern Next Week

Arctic air will remain confined to the northern Rockies and western Canada next week, while the Northeast will alternate between mild and seasonably cold weather. The Southwest will remain unseasonably cool. Warm air will prevail throughout the Gulf Coast.