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A Country Divided: Record Warm AND Cold Temperatures Expected Across the United States This Week

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Anybody else wish Mother Nature would make up her mind already? One day it’s mild and sunny, the next it’s snowing and below freezing. Well, we’re sorry to say it’s time to strap in for yet another wacky week of weather across the United States: Meteorologists say there may be record-breaking warmth on the East Coast, record-breaking cold on the West Coast, and heavy rain with a risk of flooding in the center of the country. What a strange way to end February!

Despite the significant snowfall from earlier this month, “springlike” warmth is expected to spread to the eastern states this week, according to AccuWeather. Temps may hit the 70-degree mark as far north as New England, with record-high temperatures possibly being broken from Atlanta all the way up to Boston.

So if you’re on the East Coast, you might want to pull out your spring jackets early. “The surge of springlike warmth Tuesday into Wednesday across the East will provide temperatures more akin to May rather than the end of February,” says AccuWeather meteorologist Maggie Samuhel.

But while easterners re-learn how to wear shoes that aren’t boots, the West will likely be facing the opposite of May-like weather, according to forecasters. Record lows might be broken in cities like Portland, Oregon, Seattle, and even a few California cities like Sacramento. As if that’s not enough, snow and “unusually cold” air is expected to spread over several western states, which may cause travel problems from Salt Lake City to Casper, Wyoming.

Is this a weather map or an expressionist painting? What a wild contrast across the country!

But the confusing weather pattern isn’t over! Forecasters also expect some heavy thunderstorms and rainfall to hit smack-dab in the middle of the country this week, especially in the Mississippi and Ohio Valleys. Although this is great news for areas that need drought relief, such as southwestern Illinois and southern Missouri, local rain may cause flash flooding in some areas, and river flooding is also a possibility.

Clearly, it’s worth tuning into your local forecast — no matter what region you live in — so you can prepare yourself for whatever extreme conditions might be coming your way. Stay safe out there!

Attention, soon-to-be chilly westerners! Check out these easy, cost-effective ways to warm up a cold house quickly in the video below:

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