Gusty Winds to Accompany Northeast Cold Blast

By Bill Deger, Meteorologist

Mar 26, 2012; 10:29 AM ET

The winds of change will arrive in the Northeast today, as a winter chill returns to the region in the wake of more than a week of unusually warm temperatures.
While the cold air itself would be enough to make Northeasterners shiver, a gusty wind will accompany the tumble of the mercury through tonight adding an additional bite to the air.
Fortunately, the strongest winds will not coincide with the coldest temperatures, but that is little relief to residents now accustomed to mild temperatures.
In the wake of the cold frontal passage, winds will gust as high as 30 to 40 mph across the Northeast and the eastern mid-Atlantic, especially during the afternoon and evening hours. Some coastal locations could have higher wind speeds.
Such wind speeds can lead to some downed trees and minor property damage. Any loose outdoor objects that could be blown around should either be tied down or brought indoors for the time being.
AccuWeather.com RealFeel® temperatures will average about 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the actual thermometer reading today, ranging from the low 50s across the mid-Atlantic to the 30s across upstate New York and northern New England.

The most noticeable drop in both RealFeel® and actual temperatures will occur after dark.
"Monday night, subfreezing temperatures will have nearly every community from Lake Superior to the upper Ohio Valley and across the Northeast shivering," says AccuWeather.com Senior Meteorologist Kristina Pydynowski.
Though winds will be lighter later at night and early on Tuesday morning, RealFeel® temperatures will drop below 20 degrees from north of I-80 into New England, and below 30 degrees south to near Washington and Baltimore.
The gusty winds could force a scrub of rocket launches scheduled for Tuesday morning in Wallops Island, Va.

Meanwhile, across central and northern Maine, it will feel like it's below zero to start the day on Tuesday.
In addition to the real threat of damage to early-blooming flowers and vegetation from the subfreezing temperatures, the wind will reduce the amount of time it will take exposed skin to become frostbitten.
Strong winds accompanying cold temperatures reduces the body temperature quicker by drawing heat outward, first at the skin and eventually internally.
After a chilly, but calm Tuesday, milder air is in store for the region by midweek.

Gusty Winds to Accompany Northeast Cold Blast