A surge of warm air is predicted across much of the Northeast by the middle of the week – though temperatures will not be as intense as those felt during the July heat wave.Dry and settled conditions are in store to start the week across the Northeast courtesy of an expansive area of high pressure moving in from the northern Great Lakes.Temperatures are forecast to top out around 5 degrees Fahrenheit below average across much of the Northeast and mid-Atlantic on Monday as a northerly breeze funnels cool air in from Canada. Much of the Northeast will continue a dry and settled trend into Tuesday as high pressure continues to dominate over the region.By Wednesday, a storm system predicted to bring showers and storms to portions of the Plains and Midwest early in the week will begin to track into the Northeast.Ahead of this system, the northerly wind that will cause below-average temperatures Monday and Tuesday will be replaced by a southerly flow, bringing along warmer and more humid air. The return of southerly winds in the Northeast will allow above-average temperatures to expand northward from the Deep South.Places as far north as Boston will have a return to summerlike temperatures on Wednesday as temperatures reach the lower 80s.Areas such as Baltimore and Washington, D.C., will likely have afternoon high temperatures flirting with the 90-degree mark.Rain chances on Wednesday will primarily be confined to New England, but a stray shower or thunderstorm could be possible as far south as New York City.The threat for showers and a few rumbles of thunder will expand southward on Thursday, encompassing mostly the mid-Atlantic states.Where there is a risk for showers and thunderstorms, conditions will remain noticeably warm and humid in those areas.As the calendar continues to roll deeper into September, it is not uncommon to observe a more pronounced clash of the seasons.Across the Northeast, people may have to trade a sweatshirt and pants in the morning, for a t-shirt and shorts during the afternoon hours.Download the free AccuWeather app to keep track of temperature trends in your area. Keep checking back for updates on AccuWeather.com and stay tuned to the AccuWeather Network on DirecTV, Frontier and Verizon Fios.
