The New York region is experiencing a brief weekend break from this winter's chilly temperatures and above-average snowfall before the polar vortex returns late next week.
Saturday and Sunday will be sunny and mild. Temps are expected to reach a high of 52 both days, about 10 degrees higher than average for this time of year.
A cold front will come through Sunday night, bringing with it the possibility of rain and snow showers, before the polar vortex returns at the end of the week.
Temperatures drop into the 30s on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, and there's a chance of snow Wednesday.
After that, winter will tighten its grip on the region as a swirl of arctic air pushes south again, sending daytime temperatures into the teens and 20s, with single-digit lows at night.
Expect that cold to begin next Thursday into Friday.
The polar vortex is a system that usually stays near the North Pole and Canada, but last month slid south and pushed temperatures to bone-chilling record lows.
Your extended forecast:
SATURDAY NIGHT: Increasing cloudiness.
LOW: 40 Avg. low: 29
SUNDAY: Partly sunny and mild with a shower late in the day.
HIGH: 52
MONDAY: Early a.m. snow/rain showers, then breezy, sunny and much colder.
HIGH: 34
TUESDAY: Partly sunny and cold.
HIGH: 34
WEDNESDAY: Chance of snow.
HIGH: 32
THURSDAY: Mostly sunny and frigid.
HIGH: 26
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny and cold.
HIGH: 31
