Pattern Change Will End a Chilly May Stretch in Plains, South, Midwest

 Jonathan Erdman

Published: May 11, 2021

A pattern change will gradually erode a stubborn May chill that has kept parts of the Plains, Midwest and South shivering so far this month.

Those eager to finally shed the jackets and break out the shorts in parts of the Midwest, Northeast and Plains have probably grown impatient so far this month. Last weekend, light snow fell over parts of Indiana, Ohio and Pennsylvania.

The first 10 days of the month have been among the top 15% of coldest starts to May in Albany, New York; Columbus, Ohio; and Fort Wayne, Indiana, according to the Southeast Regional Climate Center.

In the Plains, rain-cooled afternoon temperatures have been stuck in the 50s as far south as parts of Texas and wet snow fell along the Front Range of the Rockies, including Denver and Cheyenne, Wyoming.

Current Temperatures

A Little Lingering Chill

Before we get to the warmup, parts of the South through Thursday will be strangely cool by mid-May standards.

Daytime highs on a soggy, cloudy Wednesday might not rise out of the 60s as far south as Austin, Texas, and Charleston, South Carolina. On a similarly rainy Thursday, parts of north Florida could struggle to rise much above 70. All these could be record-chilly highs for the calendar day, according to the National Weather Service.

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Wednesday's Forecast Highs and Departures From Average

The Gradual Warmup

In the Midwest, Plains and Northeast, temperatures should gradually inch up through the rest of this week into the weekend.

By Thursday, 60s and 70s should rule the roost from the Front Range of the Rockies through the Midwest and Northeast, and that general temperature realm, which is fairly close to average highs in mid-May, should hold through the weekend.

In the South, temperatures should gradually inch up beginning Friday.

The good news is we're not expecting any excessive heat to build in the South. Forecast highs this weekend will range from the 70s in the Carolinas and Tennessee Valley to the low to mid-80s in the Deep South. Rain and thunderstorm chances may also hold down temperatures this weekend in the Southern Plains.

Sunday's Forecast Highs and Departures From Average

Looking ahead to next week, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center is forecasting near or above-average temperatures over much of the country, though there are uncertainties with regards to an early-week frontal system from Canada and an increased chance of showers and thunderstorms in the central U.S.

(MAPS: 7-Day U.S. Rain Forecast)

Extended Range Temperature Outlook

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.

The Weather Company’s primary journalistic mission is to report on breaking weather news, the environment and the importance of science to our lives. This story does not necessarily represent the position of our parent company, IBM.