5 days ago
Eastern States Face Temperature Anomaly
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources.
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Several eastern states are experiencing an unusual August, with temperatures in some areas running 5 to 7 degrees Fahrenheit below average so far this month, according to PRISM weather data.
Meteorologist Mark Margavage predicted that mean temperatures in the region are likely to be significantly below average for the month of August, depending on the path Tropical Storm Erin takes.
Why It Matters
This unexpected cool spell in August disrupts the typical summer weather pattern in a region that usually experiences peak summer heat during August.
What To Know
A map of daily mean temperature anomalies from August 1 to 11, based on PRISM data, reveals cooler-than-usual areas along portions of the East Coast.
The largest cool anomalies are centered over Virginia and the Carolinas, extending north into Maryland, Delaware, and southern Pennsylvania, as well as south to parts of Georgia, according to the PRISM data map.
PRISM, or Parameter-elevation Regressions on Independent Slopes Model, is a climate mapping system developed by Oregon State University that provides weather and climate data.
Meteorologist Margavage estimated in a post on X that if Tropical Storm Erin continues on its predicted track and stays offshore, there's a roughly 75 percent chance that the region's monthly mean temperatures will finish below normal.
He noted that in three out of four forecast simulations for the remainder of August, parts of the eastern U.S. trend cooler than average.
Margavage also noted that multiple weather models are predicting a possible early fall in the region.
He said on X that the models depict Tropical Storm Erin acting like a "magnet" and pulling colder air into the eastern U.S.
This image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Tropical Storm Erin on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025.
This image provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) shows Tropical Storm Erin on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025.
NOAA via AP
He added that colder, drier air also acts to deflect the hurricane out to sea.
Tropical Storm Erin, which has formed in the Eastern Atlantic, is expected to turn into a major hurricane this week. While its exact path remains uncertain at this early stage, most forecasts are predicting that it is unlikely to make landfall in the U.S.
What People Are Saying
Meteorologist Mark Margavage on X: "If Erin stays out at sea(as currently predicted), I estimate there is a 75% chance that the mean temperatures for the month of August end up below average for most of my forecast area in the Eastern US."
What Happens Next
Meteorologists will continue to monitor Tropical Storm Erin, with its path not expected to become clear for at least several more days.
Cooler-than-average temperatures are expected to persist in several eastern states over the coming weeks.
