Temperatures are Changing in a Big Way
WSI Senior Meteorologist Dan Leonard explains the pattern change and what it means for the West and Northeast. How long will it last?
A large-scale weather pattern change is set to take shape across North America that will bring big changes to multiple regions of the United States starting this weekend.
For those currently enjoying relief from summer's humidity east of the Rockies, get ready to heat up as the calendar flips from August to September.
The key to this pattern change is the rearrangement of the jet stream across North America. The jet stream is a ribbon of fast winds aloft in the upper atmosphere that helps dictate the weather conditions we see near the surface of the earth.
Right now, the jet stream is dipping south to the east of the Rockies. This has brought a cooler, refreshing air mass to parts of the Midwest, East and even the Deep South. By this weekend, the main ribbon of strong winds associated with the jet stream will build north into Canada, though there will be some lagging upper-level energy in the East south of the main jet stream. The end result is building warmth across the nation's midsection and points east.
At the same time, the jet stream will buckle southward along the West Coast in response to its northward shift in the East. This will bring much cooler air and the potential for some welcome rainfall to the Pacific Northwest.
The pattern change may also play a role in helping to steer the latest Atlantic named storm, Erika. However this will depend on Erika's future path and intensity.
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