Midwest, East to Heat Up Soon

May could include a bit of July: Much of the Midwest and East is about to jump from jacket weather to highs near 90 degrees, forecasters say. AccuWeather expects temperatures to surge into the 80s and low 90s over the next few days across the Midwest, Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, and into the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, with some locations seeing their warmest readings of the year. By Tuesday and Wednesday, AccuWeather senior meteorologist Tyler Roys said, per USA Today, cities along the I-95 corridor from Baltimore to Boston could see upper 80s to low 90s. Humidity will climb as well, with dew points in the 60s making the warmth feel more oppressive than earlier spring warm spells, AccuWeather's Dan DePodwin noted.

For the longer term, a "Super El Nino" is developing that could make for a hot summer in the Northeast and the Northwest, per Weather.com. It could also keep the hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin quieter than usual. In fact, AccuWeather projects a hotter-than-normal summer across almost the entire Lower 48, with the most intense heat—and elevated wildfire risk—focused in the West, and a near- or above-average number of 90-degree days in cities including Boston, Chicago, New York, and Philadelphia. Next week's summerlike heat won't be here to stay in the Ohio Valley, Great Lakes, Northeast, and mid-Atlantic, Roys said, where temperatures will be up and down for a while.

Forecasters warn that while air temperatures will feel summery, coastal and lake waters remain dangerously cold. The National Weather Service in New York said water temperatures are still in the low 50s, posing a risk of rapid hypothermia for anyone who falls in; small-boat, canoe, and kayak users are urged to use extra caution, per USA Today. For Memorial Day weekend, Roys expects near- to above-normal temperatures for the Ohio Valley and mid-Atlantic, with a more mixed picture in the Northeast. The temperature swings are causing flowers to bloom early, per the New York Times. A 1,000-acre garden near Philadelphia nevertheless is going ahead with spring plantings on Monday, though gardeners will then be out checking for frost the next morning.