BETHLEHEM, Pa. — In a week where the nation will put football in the rearview mirror and welcome pitchers and catchers to spring training, the Lehigh Valley will enjoy some springlike weather.
If you’re feeling the Super Bowl blues, it should be helped by sunny skies and temperatures in the mid 50s on Monday, according to the National Weather Service, though winds could gust as high as 20 mph for the afternoon.
It will remain very mild for mid-February as we move through the week, with mostly sunny conditions on Tuesday and increasing clouds late in the day.
- The Lehigh Valley will see temperatures on the rise this week
- It could push into the 60s by Thursday, forecasters say
- A late-week system will bring rain and send temperatures into a free fall, just for a day
We can thank a high pressure system expected to be located over the western North Atlantic for putting our area in the path of mild southern air on Wednesday.
Forecasters say wind speeds by midweek should increase to 10 to 20 mph, with gusts of 20 to 30 mph – but high temperatures are expected to rise into the 60s, except in the elevated terrain (sorry, Poconos!) and along the coast.
Finally, even with cloud cover and some rain expected on Thursday it’s possible that temperatures will rise well into the 60s across the region.
Some areas could even reach 70 degrees, the weather service said, especially in parts of eastern Maryland, Delaware, southern New Jersey and southeastern Pennsylvania.
Late-week system will bring wind, rain
The surge of warm air on Thursday will be accompanied by showers, “but this is just a transient thing here with the extreme warmth,” said EPAWA meteorologist Bobby Martrich in his latest video update.
Rain will arrive and things will culminate with a cold front moving through on Friday morning, Martrich said, sending temperatures plummeting.
The expected high Friday night into Saturday will be in the teens to 20s across the region, and it will be blustery to go along with the chilly temperatures.
EPAWA's 2/13 and week ahead outlook, covering:
— Bobby Martrich | EPAWA (@epawawx) February 13, 2023
■ Milder temperatures expected in the work week
■ Details on the late week system rain, then wind
■ Early look at next weekend's outlookhttps://t.co/FQTlJeG0jh
“Friday morning is going to start off wet and it’s also going to start off very warm,” Martrich said. “Once the cold front moves through in the afternoon it’ll turn much colder … your highs on Friday are going to be achieved much earlier in the morning and then temperatures are going to come down and it’s going to be escorted in by wind.”
Wind gusts Friday could be in the 30 to 40 mph range, Martrich said, and temperatures should be “near average” for the front half of the weekend.
“Near average for a day – just a day … we’re expecting temperatures to rebound (Sunday) near the 50 degree mark. It’ll just be a temporary shot of cold air.”
