Big Weather Changes This Week Include Warmer, Drier East; Cooler, Wetter West

http://www.weather.com/forecast/national/news/big-weather-changes-cooler-wetter-west-warmer-drier-east

Big weather changes are on tap to start the week as the jet stream pattern rearranges itself once again across North America.

If you've been enjoying the taste of fall this weekend in the Midwest and East, get ready to warm back up. The opposite can be said for the West Coast, which will see a welcomed cooldown after dealing with record heat and dangerous wildfire conditions.

Let's lay out the two big weather changes taking shape to start the new week.

Change #1: Warmer Plains, Midwest and Northeast

Portions of the Midwest, Plains and East have been enjoying a pleasant taste of fall the last few days, giving a break from the hot temperatures that were in place to start the month of September.

A small part of the Upper Midwest even saw a frost or freeze during the weekend. Morning lows Saturday dipped into the 20s in a few spots in northeast Minnesota and western Upper Michigan.

Low temperatures in the 50s were reported all the way into the Deep South Sunday morning, with some 40s in the southern Appalachians. Another cool, pleasant morning is expected on Monday with below-average temperatures in parts of the South, Ohio Valley and the Mid-Atlantic.

But a sign of the changes in the week ahead can be seen in the Plains, where above-average warmth has already returned. This warmth will now spread through the Upper Midwest into the Great Lakes and Northeast throughout this week. While parts of the Midwest will see temperatures return to near or below-average levels late week, the warmth will stay in place across the Northeast.

Change #2: West Cools Down; Increased Moisture

The West Coast is also seeing a major change due to this weather pattern flip, and it's positive news overall.

Last week featured yet another round of record heat and extreme wildfire danger. This resulted in two major wildfires in California that have burned tens of thousands of acres, forced evacuations and damaged numerous structures.

In some cases, temperatures to start this week will be more than 30 degrees cooler than we've seen in recent days. The West as a whole will see highs 5-15 degrees below average from Washington state, Idaho and Montana into portions of California, Nevada and northern Arizona.