East Record Highs Toppled Monday

With temperatures surging into the 80s and lower 90s over much of the East on Monday, many locations had their hottest day of the season so far.

Temperatures on Monday broke daily record highs in nearly two dozen major cities from Maryland northward to Maine.

In Albany, N.Y., the record high of 91 degrees was the earliest in the year ever for reaching the 90-degree mark.

While temperatures failed to reach record levels in New York City, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., Baltimore equaled its record high of 90 set in 2002.

In Boston, temperatures failed to reach 90. However, western Massachusetts had the national high for the day on April 16 with a 93-degree reading at Westfield, beating Texas, Florida and the Desert Southwest.

Thousands of runners bowed out of the 116th running of the Boston Marathon before the race even started, fearing the mid-summer heat. Typically in the Boston area and its suburbs, temperatures peak in the upper 50s this time of the year.

According to the Boston Herald, more than 1,200 runners were treated for heat-related problems in this year's marathon. Some of these and others simply dropped out of the race after attempting it.

Other cities including Altoona, Pa.; Elmira, N.Y; Lancaster, Pa; Manchester, N.H.; Poughkeepsie, N.Y. and White Plains, N.Y. also set or broke record highs for the date.

According to Meteorologist Mike Pigott, "Most cold fronts this spring have been diving into the western U.S. rather than the eastern U.S."

"We saw this during much of March," Pigott added.

The warmth going on now is not necessarily an indication of what the entire summer will be like. However, the abnormally dry conditions brewing now, if they continue into the summer, can add several degrees on to daily high temperatures. In this case, the sun's energy is not wasted so much on evaporating moisture from the ground.

Interestingly during April 17 and 18, 1976, temperatures surged into the 90s over much of the Northeast.

According to Northeast Weather Expert Dave Dombek, "In most cases, that was the hottest weather of the spring and summer that year."

Steering currents high overhead, known as the jet stream have been directing the cool fronts into the west, while allowing warm air to pump northward in the east.

Indications are that the jet stream will flatten out for much of the balance of this week, moderating temperatures somewhat.

A dip in the jet stream may drive chilly, rainy weather into the East for a time this weekend into early next week.

Report a Typo