Surge of spring warmth on the way for southern, eastern US

 By Alex Sosnowski, AccuWeather senior meteorologist

Published Mar. 1, 2022 12:18 PM EST | Updated Mar. 1, 2022 12:18 PM EST

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It seems Mother Nature will take a cue from the flip to meteorological spring on March 1 across parts of the central, southern and eastern United States as the week progresses. The weather will warm up in a big way, and AccuWeather forecasters expect temperatures to climb well into the 60s, 70s and even the 80s F in some locations.

As winter hangs on across the northern tier of the Midwest and Northeast and reestablishes its grip in the West, a pattern change will allow April and May-like warmth to build in the balance of the Central and Eastern states with some locations set to experience their highest temperatures since last autumn.

"A northward bulge in the jet stream and high pressure at the surface will expand together from the western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico later this week and into this weekend," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Joe Lundberg said, and added that," the building warmth will be very impressive, even for March."

Much of the Southeast has experienced a warmer-than-average February with departures of 2-3 degrees above normal in cities such as Orlando, Florida; Charleston, South Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; Birmingham, Alabama; and Atlanta.

The surging warmth has already begun over portions of the South Central states. Highs in the 50s and 60s were common across the region Monday, and highs were expected to climb into the 60s and 70s Tuesday.

"The warmth will be more than welcomed and follows a major ice and snowstorm from northern Texas and Arkansas Ohio less than a week ago," Lundberg said. Temperatures plunged into the teens, 20s and 30s during the outbreak of winter weather.

On Wednesday, daily record highs dating back to the early 1900s will be challenged in portions of Kansas and Missouri. Temperatures will reach well into the 70s to near 80 in cities such as St. Louis and Kansas City, Missouri, and Wichita, Kansas.

Unlike the Southeast, large portions of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Kansas, Arkansas and Missouri experienced a much colder-than-average February. The average temperature for the month was 6.1 degrees Fahrenheit below the average of 58.9 in Houston at 52.8 degrees, and 4.3 degrees below the average of 50.5 for Dallas last month. The departure in Houston was actually about 1 degree colder in February 2022 when compared to February 2021.

"A bubble of abnormally warm air from back on Feb. 22-23 may prevent portions of the South Central states from having their warmest day since last fall with the warm surge this week, but the high-temperature mark for the year so far and since last October or November is on the bubble for other parts of the Central and Eastern states this weekend," Lundberg said.

Even as mild and cold air swing back and forth across Chicago this week, a surge of warmth could push temperatures to near 60 Saturday. And even if temperatures peak in the upper 50s in the Windy City, it would be the warmest day since Dec. 15 and 16 when the high reached 66 on both days.

Farther east, temperatures are forecast to climb into the lower 80s from Mississippi and Alabama to the Carolinas by Sunday afternoon. A record high of 82 is projected in Atlanta on Sunday with the old record of 79 set in 1974 in jeopardy. The last time the temperature was this high was on Oct. 15, when the 85-degree mark was reached.

Just like in part of the Upper Midwest, cold air may linger over the northern tier of the Northeast this weekend -- and a wintry mix may even occur in some locations. However, warmth will reach from the Ohio Valley to portions of the central Appalachians and the mid-Atlantic regions.

Temperatures may flirt with 70 in Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Philadelphia this weekend. Record highs in the mid-70s may be out of reach in Cincinnati and Pittsburgh, but the daily record high of 71 set way back in 1935 in Philadelphia Sunday could be challenged.

Highs in the 70s will be common across Kentucky, West Virginia, Virginia and Maryland Sunday. At this level, temperatures will be 20-30 degrees above average for early March.

New York City's best shot at the 70-degree mark will be Monday, just ahead of a push of more seasonable air.

The warmth will get chopped down from west to east across much of the Central and Eastern states later this weekend into early next week, but it may take until Monday or Tuesday before cooler air is felt in the mid-Atlantic and interior South. Warmth may fight on over the southeastern corner of the nation next week and could become a battle zone for rounds of rain and thunderstorms.

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Just ahead of the cool push, rounds of thunderstorms, some of which are likely to be severe, will erupt over portions of the Mississippi, Ohio and Tennessee valleys this weekend.

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For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.

New study sheds light on when the dinosaurs met their demise

The new finding was made at a controversial dig site that is said by some researchers to hold a pristine record of the day the dinosaurs died.

By Zachary Rosenthal, AccuWeather staff writer

Published Feb. 28, 2022 10:19 AM EST | Updated Feb. 28, 2022 10:19 AM EST

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The image shows the skeletons of tyrannosaurs partially buried in the middle of what has become a desert after the impact of a large asteroid in present-day Mexico. (Getty Images)

A remarkable discovery made in North Dakota suggests that the asteroid impact that wiped out dinosaurs and much of the life on Earth occurred in the springtime.

To reach that conclusion, researchers led by Melanie During, a graduate student at Uppsala University in Sweden, studied the remains of fossilized fish at the Tanis dig site in North Dakota. The team of researchers argued that the growth pattern preserved in the fossilized fish bones suggests that the finned creatures perished during the spring, according to findings published in the journal Nature last week.

According to Nature, fish bones grow rapidly in the springtime as food becomes more abundant and growth slows in winter as the food supply shrinks. With well-preserved fishbones and the aid of some high-powered technology, what is known as ‘line of arrested growth’ (LAG) can be seen preserved in the bone tissue.

A team of researchers was able to create high-resolution micro-computerized-tomography models of six different fish bones and identified LAGs in all six, a fact that suggests the asteroid that killed them, and also the dinosaurs, landed in the spring.

During, the paper's lead author, said a springtime impact would have been particularly devastating.

"I think spring puts a large group of the late Cretaceous biota (animal and plant life) in a very vulnerable spot because they were out and about looking for food, tending to offspring and trying to build up resources after the harsh winter," she said at a news briefing according to CNN.

Illustration of a tyrannosaurus as an asteroid strikes the Earth. Tyrannosaurus was one of the very last dinosaurs, wiped out 65 million years ago during the extinction event that ended the Cretaceous period. Scientists believe that the incident was provoked by the impact of an asteroid or comet with the Earth off the coast of what is now Mexico. (Getty Images)

In another finding that backs up that hypothesis, ecosystems in the Southern Hemisphere recovered nearly twice as fast from the asteroid impact, something that suggests that the asteroid struck during the vulnerable springtime period in the Northern Hemisphere.

Yet, according to Nature, LAGs can be contentious. One qualified postdoctoral researcher, who requested anonymity in order to speak to Nature given the controversy of the site, questioned the spring-impact hypothesis.

“There is no uniform, agreed-upon definition of what a LAG is or how you identify one,” the unnamed researcher said, adding that there is not agreement on how LAGs form.

The Tanis dig site first attracted attention and controversy in 2019 when it was discovered by Robert DePalma, now a PhD student at the University of Manchester, U.K., according to Nature. DePalma said that the Tanis site captured something that had never been seen before -- a picture of what had happened in the minutes to hours after the asteroid that killed the dinosaurs struck Earth on Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula about 66 million years ago.

DePalma's discovery was met with skepticism as no other place on Earth is believed to store a clear record of the day the dinosaurs died. Additionally, DePalma was accused of restricting access to the dig site, something he denied in an email to AccuWeather, saying that researchers from the American Museum of Natural History in New York City, Stony Brook University and others from European universities have had access to the Tanis site.

A Tyrannosaurus rex skeleton is seen on display biting a Triceratops during the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History's "David H. Koch Hall of Fossils-Deep Time" during a media preview in Washington, Tuesday, June 4, 2019. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

During's results also help to boost DePalma's claims of a well-preserved dig site.

"This deposit literally looks like a car crash frozen in place. It looks like the most violent thing I have ever seen, preserved in pristine condition," During said of the fossil site, according to CNN.

In a 2019 paper, DePalma argued that the massive impact formed 10-meter-high (33-foot-high) seiche waves that killed the fish and other species in the area instantly. That wave deposited dead organisms that became preserved in Tanis, organisms that During excavated for the study.

"I feel that the new study supports multiple lines of evidence previously published by our team on this remarkable site," DePalma wrote in an email to AccuWeather. "The new data adds to the evidence for the chronology of the [asteroid impact]. It is important that data such as this is published, so that other scientists can continue to build a coherent and richer interpretation of the past."

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For the latest weather news check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo, and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform.

Gas prices rising: How you can improve fuel economy during the winter

 Every cent counts at the pump, so here's how to ensure you're saving as much as possible during the last few weeks of winter -- and before gas stations start rolling out the more expensive "summer gas."

By John Murphy, AccuWeather staff writer

Published Feb. 28, 2022 6:37 PM EST | Updated Feb. 28, 2022 6:37 PM EST

For the third straight week, U.S. gas demand has risen, contributing to gas prices reaching an eight-year high. During an appearance on AccuWeather Prime, Patrick De Haan of GasBuddy said multiple factors, including the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the growing national demand for gas as spring approaches and a switch to the costlier "summer gas," could all send gas prices to a national average of $4 a gallon by April.

This has led to many motorists trying to find ways they can save at the pump in these final weeks of winter. Thankfully, a lot can be done to help improve fuel efficiency in your vehicle, especially during the winter months.

During the winter, gas milage decreases for many regions, especially those that experience very cold weather. A car's gas mileage at 20 degrees Fahrenheit is 15-24 percent lower than the same vehicle's mileage at 77 degrees and drops even more sharply in hybrid cars. A hybrid vehicle's fuel economy can drop between 30 and 34 percent under the same conditions described above.

Electric vehicles suffer the largest mileage drop in cold weather, even though they are the most economically friendly. An electric vehicle's mileage plummets 39 to 41 percent when operating in 77-degree weather versus 20-degree weather.

In gas and hybrid cars, the cold weather results in decreased fuel economy because the cold causes the engine to take longer to reach fuel-efficient temperatures. The cold also causes an increase in drag, the air to be denser and an increase in the friction between the engine and transmission from colder engine oil.

Motorists fill up vehicles at a gas station Wednesday, Feb. 16, 2022, in Denver. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

One way to help prevent these cold-weather consequences from affecting a vehicle is by parking it in a warmer place such as the garage. For those who don't have access to a garage, there are still plenty of ways to help save on fuel.

Conserving idling will also help improve fuel economy. In the winter, idling the vehicle in the morning is tempting to warm up the vehicle before getting in. However, doing so can cause your fuel economy to take a dip, especially when idling for longer periods of time.

An important winter driving tip can also help with fuel economy -- driving gently. Doing this will help allow the engine to warm up faster, and gentler driving will help with navigating through snowy and icy conditions safely.

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Another way to help save on fuel is simply by planning out future trips, and combining multiple trips into one. Doing this will save both fuel and time.

Also, consider a car's oil recommendations. Different car manufacturers may have specific oil recommendations for winter that will also help increase a car's mileage. This oil is formulated specifically for colder weather and can give a car that extra boost to get farther on less money.

Traffic struggles along the snow-packed southbound lanes of Interstate 25 in Denver during 2019. (AP Photo/David Zalubowski)

While the winter months and colder weather bring worse fuel efficiency, summer has its own way of causing increases at the pump. During the summer, more Americans are filling their tanks due and increasing demand.

“Gasoline prices are starting to rebound as temperatures warm up so Americans filling their tanks more often, combined with the transition to summer gasoline and refinery maintenance could likely boost the national average,” said De Haan, who is the head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy.

So-called "winter gasoline" has a higher Reid vapor pressure, which means it evaporates and ignites more easily in colder air. When fuel companies begin rolling out "summer gas" blends, which are costlier to produce, the added cost manifests in higher prices at the pump during the warmer months, according to GasBuddy.

Some of these tips for winter can also be utilized during the summer months to continue help saving on gas year-round, especially with record gas prices a looming possibility.

“The previous all-time record was $4.10 a gallon back in 2008, so it stands possible that indeed the national average could breach that all-time record high in May or potentially June,” said De Haan.

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For the latest weather news, check back on AccuWeather.com. Watch the AccuWeather Network on DIRECTV, Frontier, Spectrum, fuboTV, Philo and Verizon Fios. AccuWeather Now is now available on your preferred streaming platform. 

This Date in Weather History for March 1,2022

 Weather History

For Tuesday, March 1,2022

1910 - The deadliest avalanche of record in the U.S. thundered down the mountains near Wellington Station WA sweeping three huge locomotive train engines and some passenger cars, snowbound on the grade leading to Stevens Pass, over the side and into a canyon, and burying them under tons of snow. The avalanche claimed the lives of more than 100 people. The station house at Wellington was also swept away. (The Weather Channel)

1914 - High winds and heavy snow crippled New Jersey and New York State. Two feet of snow were reported at Ashbury Park, and at New York City the barometric pressure dropped to a record 28.38 inches. The storm caused complete disruption of electric power in New Jersey. (David Ludlum)

1980 - Norfolk, VA, received 13.7 inches of snow to push their season total to a record 41.9 inches exceeding their previous record by more than four inches. (David Ludlum)

1980 - An unusually large Florida tornado, 500 yards in width at times, killed one person and caused six million dollars damage near Fort Lauderdale. (The Weather Channel)

1983 - A ferocious storm battered the Pacific coast. The storm produced heavy rain and gale force winds resulting in flooding and beach erosion, and in the mountains produced up to seven feet of snow in five days. (The Weather Channel)

1987 - A storm crossing the Great Lakes Region produced heavy snow and gale force winds from Wisconsin to northern New England, with eight inches of snow reported at Ironwood MI. (The National Weather Summary)

1988 - Thunderstorms produced large hail and damaging winds in north central Texas. Baseball size hail was reported at Lake Kickapoo. Hail fell continuously for thirty minutes in the Iowa Park area of Wichita Falls. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1989 - March came in like a lion, with snow and high winds, in the northwestern U.S. Winds gusted to 86 mph in the Rosario Strait of western Washington State. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

1990 - A series of low pressure systems moving out of the Gulf of Alaska spread high winds and heavy snow across western Alaska. Winds in the Anchorage area gusted to 69 mph at Glen Alps, and Talkeetna was buried under three feet of snow in two days. Valdez received 21.4 inches of snow, raising their total for the winter season to 482.4 inches. (The National Weather Summary) (Storm Data)

2006 - Dallas/Forth Worth Airport breaks a 107-year-old North Texas temperature record after reaching 93 degrees. Mineral Wells reached 97, Wichita Falls 96 and Fort Worth Meacham Airport 90.

2011 - Snowfall across Idaho broke numerous accumulation records. Pierce received 15 inches, Powell 14.5 inches, Potlatch 12 inches and Kellogg and Plummer 7 inches. The same storm created high winds across the Pacific Northwest. A weather station at 10,000 feet on Mount Ranier measures a wind gust of 137 MPH with a sustained 1-minute wind reading of 112 MPH.