More than half of the United States faces a chance of above-average temperatures next week, according to a six- to 10-day temperature outlook from the National Weather Service (NWS) Climate Prediction Center.
Temperatures will begin to rise this weekend and could threaten daily temperature records in Texas, Oklahoma, and parts of the South over the coming week, NWS Weather Prediction Center meteorologist David Roth told Newsweek.
Why It Matters
With October well underway, many states have already seen their first frost, with some temperatures dipping into the 20s, prompting freeze warnings earlier this week. The cold temperatures have signaled the end of the growing season and the approach of winter.
However, many states might see a surge in temperatures next week.
What to Know
The most recent six-to 10-day temperature outlook was issued on Thursday and is valid between October 22 and October 26. It shows a chance at above-average temperatures for a wide swath of the U.S. from the West Coast through the Upper Midwest. Parts of Maine and Florida are also expecting a rise in temperatures.
In California, the rise will begin this weekend, with NWS meteorologist Andrew Gorelow telling Newsweek that temperatures will be as much as 15 degrees Fahrenheit warmer than they were earlier this week when a potent winter storm dropped 3 feet of snow in the high-elevation parts of the Sierra Nevada.
The states with the greatest chance at seeing above-average temperatures include Texas, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming, Montana and Maine. Precipitation will likely be above-average in the West and below average across the Central U.S.
During the same time frame, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Maryland, West Virginia, Virginia, Delaware, North Carolina, Kentucky, Indiana, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama have a slight chance of below-average temperatures.
Looking even further out, the warm temperatures will expand to encompass nearly the entire U.S., save for the West Coast and parts of the Eastern Seaboard, through October 30.
What People Are Saying
NWS Weather Prediction Center meteorologist David Roth told Newsweek: “Next Friday, the biggest anomaly is almost 20 degrees above average…near the North Dakota-Montana border.”
NWS Nashville, on X: “Dry weather is expected through Friday, with warm afternoons and cool nights. Heading into the weekend, our probabilities increase to medium/high chances for rain and storms.”
NWS Corpus Christi, Texas, in a forecast: “Temperatures will be warm with highs in the mid-80s to mid-90s under mostly clear to partly cloudy skies through the middle of the week.”
What Happens Next
Temperatures likely won’t be high enough to prompt heat-related weather alerts, but people should monitor the forecast and take preventive measures, such as staying hydrated, if temperatures get too high for comfort.
