By AccuWeather senior meteorologist
Updated Feb. 21, 2021 12:10 PM EST
After plunging temperatures bombarded much of the central and eastern United States last week, relief is on the way in the form of some early spring warmth.
In addition to widespread snow and ice across the center of the county, Record-low temperatures fell last week as cold air invaded the center of the country. Millions were not only left without power, but also with water shortages.
However, a pattern change is likely to bring an end to the enduring winters' chill.
"The jet stream will bulge northward, allowing for warmer, Pacific air to race into the middle of the country through Tuesday," said AccuWeather Meteorologist Matt Benz.
A rebound in temperatures began this weekend, but temperatures will moderate even further over the coming days. In fact, over the upcoming week, temperatures are forecast to surge to levels 30, 40 and 50 degrees Fahrenheit higher than during the depths of frigid air from Feb. 13 through Feb. 16.
By Wednesday, Feb. 24, highs are expected to range from near 40 in Chicago to the lower 70s in Houston, which will follow low temperatures from the middle of this past week ranging from 5 below zero in Chicago, to 13 above zero in Houston.
In some areas, the temperature swing may be enough to bring afternoon highs far enough above normal that it will be feeling more like spring.
On Monday, Feb. 22, Rapid City, South Dakota, is forecast to reach 50 degrees in the afternoon and the forecast high in St. Louis on Tuesday, Feb. 23, is 57 degrees. Both are abnormally warm for late February, and more normal for the third week in March.
The accelerating thaw will help with natural melting of ice and snow on roads, but areas made wet by higher daytime temperatures can become icy at night.
Even the thaw can cause some pipes that split but remained frozen to this point to release water without notice. Property owners may want to thoroughly inspect all the pipes before turning the water back on.
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Benz added that the pattern change expected this week will shoot out the Arctic air, keeping it in Canada.
With the colder air locked up to the north, the warmth will be able to trickle as far as the Eastern Seaboard by the middle of the week.
In much of the Eastern states, the temperature turnaround this week will not be nearly as dramatic as that of the Central states, but it will still be a noticeable change.
When compared to the cold from last week, temperatures could be 10 to as much as 30 degrees higher.
High temperatures are likely to rebound from the teens and 20s in the central Appalachians to end the weekend, to the 30s and lower 40s by midweek. Meanwhile, highs along the I-95 corridor of the Northeast will trend upward into the 40s in Boston and New York City, to the 50s and even near 60 in Washington, D.C., by the middle of the week.
In comparison, Boston's normal high is in the low 40s during late February. New York City typically climbs into the mid-40s during the last week of February, and D.C. reaches right around 50 on average during this timeframe.
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Right around the end of the month, the weather pattern may regress somewhat, at least bringing back early March's usual winter chill.
AccuWeather meteorologists believe that while some cold air may reach the South Central states and produce slightly below-average temperatures by early March. It should not be nearly as extreme as what has occurred last week.
Keep checking back on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
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