Potential Record Breaking Heat to Ring in Spring across the East

news image
Special Stories
20 Mar 2020 7:00 AM
It was certainly feeling like spring across the Eastern United States as we welcomed the changing of the seasons on Thursday. The Spring Equinox happened late Thursday night on the East Coast, but a large ridge of high pressure has made things feel like summer already for some. An upper-level ridge of high pressure stretched out across Florida, in addition to a surface high in the Atlantic, brought highs to 10-20° above average across the South and Central United States on Thursday. Records fell in Tampa and Florence, South Carolina. As a cold front crosses the Plains Friday, temperatures across the Midwest will fall but a warm front and southerly winds will help highs along the Eastern Seaboard climb into the 80s, possibly as far north as Washington D.C. The Northeast will see the warmest highs, relative to average, with major cities like Boston and New York ringing in the first full day of spring with highs more than 20° above the 30 year mean. Multiple records could fall on Friday, with clusters once again around the Mid-Atlantic and Central Florida. A cold front dropping east and south will bring an end to the record warmth to start the weekend for most of the east. The pattern  doesn't look to change much heading into the third week of March, as the Climate Prediction Center maintains a well above average chance for the eastern half of the United States to stay above average. Cooler than average temperatures appear likely to continue next week for the West.
All Weather News
More
Tornadoes Hit Nebraska and Iowa Thursday Night

Tornadoes Hit Nebraska and Iowa Thursday Night

Severe storms erupted Thursday evening across

20 Apr 2025 1:00 AM
Severe Thunderstorm Threat Continues Into Sunday

Severe Thunderstorm Threat Continues Into Sunday

The jet stream remains active and stubborn in

20 Apr 2025 1:00 AM
Dry Southwest Keeps Critical Fire Conditions in the Forecast

Dry Southwest Keeps Critical Fire Conditions in the Forecast

Fire danger remains elevated this weekend in

20 Apr 2025 12:40 AM
Spring Snow Continues in the Rockies

Spring Snow Continues in the Rockies

​A classic late-season April snowstorm is imp

19 Apr 2025 2:30 AM
Cold Push for the Northeast

Cold Push for the Northeast

Two upper level lows have brought a shot of c

16 Apr 2025 9:40 AM
Earthquake in Southern California Monday Morning

Earthquake in Southern California Monday Morning

A 5.2M earthquake was detected Monday morning

15 Apr 2025 9:00 AM
Spring Heat Wave: More Record Highs to Fall Today

Spring Heat Wave: More Record Highs to Fall Today

A surge of unseasonable heat is sweeping acro

13 Apr 2025 5:50 PM