【2016 Archives】

Summer's passed016 Archives but temperatures in the nation's capital are expected to reach between 20 and 25 degrees above normal on Wednesday, meaning highs of around 96 degrees Fahrenheit.

And the heat trend is widespread. Well over 100 daily high temperature records will likely fall across a vast portion of the central and eastern U.S. over the coming days.

What's gives?

---

You May Also Like

---

---

A pattern of unusual heat in the east and chilly temperatures out West (including a major blizzard) is a well-predicted consequence of a powerful weather system, called the jet stream, that has sliced the nation in half, temperature-wise.

"It will be a tale of two nations," Jeff Weber, a meteorologist at the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research told Mashable last week. "It will be a big contrast." 

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Indeed there is. The jet stream — a relatively narrow band of high altitude, westerly, powerful winds traveling some four to eight miles up in the atmosphere — acts as a powerful barrier separating colder northern temperatures from warmer southern temperatures.

But, as atmospheric scientist Paul Roebber told Mashable, this band of wind can bend and become wavier. This has happened in a significant way, as the jet stream has bent down into the western U.S., allowing colder air to come down, somewhat like a freezer door being left open.

Original image has been replaced. Credit: Mashable

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Meanwhile, the bent jet stream has allowed warmer southern air to travel up and then settle over the other half of the U.S. "There will be dramatic heat," said UCAR's Weber. He was right.

Record heat, reaching into the upper 90s, hit the Midwest and South on Tuesday. More daily high temperatures will fall on Wednesday and Thursday.

These days, with overall global temperatures boosted by a relentlessly warming climate, high temperature records are much more likely to break than low temperature records. Every weather event is happening on a heated planet. That's why over the last decade, twice as many daily high records have been set as low temperature records in the U.S.

SEE ALSO: U.N. confirms the ocean is screwed

What's more, there's growing evidence that the jet stream is becoming more prone to wavier behavior, which produces more extreme weather and temperature events, particularly heat waves. This is an intensive, ongoing area of scientific research.

For now, the jet stream has bent over the U.S., and a large part of the nation is experiencing a potent bout of "summertime" heat.

• Life
• Entertainment
• Shopping
• Deals
• Science
• Games
• Social Good
• Digital Culture

• 10 Tech Predictions for 2017
• How to decide if you should confront that annoying coworker
• Uber buys Drizly for $1.1 billion, adding booze delivery to Uber Eats
• Bumble launches LinkedIn
• I'm a college professor. My advice to young people who feel hooked on tech
• Twitter thinks it knows why Jeff Bezos stepped down as Amazon CEO
• 'We're the Millers' was the sleeper hit that could've been even better
• Obama, Bush, and Clinton enjoy a nice, relaxing game of golf without Trump
• Anker raises Amazon prices amid US tariffs
• 'We're the Millers' was the sleeper hit that could've been even better

• 15 holiday gifts that teachers will actually like
• This tougher
• Patent shows AirPods may get biometric improvements, noise canceling
• NFL fans lose it after Dolphins upend Patriots with a wild trick play
• Netflix's Dumplin' is a glittery, enlightening treasure: Review
• Thank you for ending the war between Kim Kardashian and Chloë Grace Moretz, Hillary Clinton
• China is the lead suspect in the Marriott hack, report says
• Extreme climate change suffocated ocean life 250 million years ago
• Are wool sneakers the future of footwear? Some investors think so.
• Single mom wears a fake mustache so her son doesn't miss 'Donuts with Dad'

• NYT Strands hints, answers for May 1
• Mayor of San Juan responds to Trump: "We have one goal, it is to save lives"
• Amazon's Ring reportedly working with more cops than ever in 2020
• Robinhood now says you can buy one GameStop share, as a treat
• This fat bear's before and after photos are stunning
• Trump tweets 'warmest condolences' in response to Las Vegas shooting
• You'll soon be able to unlock your iPhone while wearing a face mask
• Amazon's Ring reportedly working with more cops than ever in 2020
• DDR4 Memory at 4000 MT/s, Does It Make a Difference?
• Tom Price flies out of Trump’s White House, and everybody’s making fun of him

• Best Hydro Flask deal: Save $10 on a 24
• Here's where Trump spent the past 10 days as Puerto Rico collapsed
• Tesla recalls nearly 135,000 Model S and X cars because of failing touchscreens
• WhatsApp is using Status to make users feel better about privacy
• The Baffler’s May Day Round Up
• Facebook and Apple's PR war seriously heats up
• Apple will invest $3.6 billion in Kia Motors to build an Apple Car, report says
• Army vet who knelt before Trump shares why, you know, protests are important
• Dyson V8 Plus cordless vacuum: $120 off at Amazon
• Uber offers free rides after deadly shooting in Las Vegas