What explains the weather if a location in the United States has a period of clouds and rain with southeast winds, followed by a rise in temperature, clear skies, and southerly winds, then thunderstorms, a drop in temperature, and a wind shift to the northwest?

A midlatitude cyclone has passed to the north of the location.

Explanation:

Midlatitude cyclones (extratropical cyclones) are low pressure systems outside of the tropics. Air in the cyclone moves counterclockwise around a low pressure center.

Cyclones move eastward in the Northern Hemisphere carried by prevailing winds.

Cyclones last several days to a week.

It is depicted as an "L" on the weather map, cyclones bring rain and wind to an area.

Cyclones are fueled by the temperature differences (hence pressure gradients) that exist along frontal boundaries. They are usually strongest during cold months when temperature differences between air masses can be most extreme.

elastic potential energy