Midweek Record Warmth Headed for Southeast, East | WeatherBug
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Midweek Record Warmth Headed for Southeast, East

February 21, 2018
UPDATED By WeatherBug Meteorologists
Spring fever is hitting the Eastern U.S. today, but like most early-season warm-ups, it will be fleeting. Big changes will make for a soggy Thursday.
The early taste of spring is thanks to a large summer-like high pressure docked off the Carolina coast. Southerly winds around this high-pressure system is pumping oodles of warm air northward into the Mid-Atlantic and New England, leading to today’s unseasonably warm weather.
 
Temperatures in the Mid-Atlantic and Carolinas surged into the 60s and 70s Tuesday, with more 70s and even spots of 80s found throughout the East Coast. Several temperature records are likely to be broken throughout the Southeast and the Mid-Atlantic.

​On Tuesday, Indianapolis (77 degrees) and Pittsburgh (78 degrees) broke their record highs for the month of February. Baltimore tied their daily record high of 76 degrees and Washington D.C. broke their daily high record with a temperature of 78 degrees. The record warmth also stretched into Buffalo, N.Y., where they recorded a new record high of 66 degrees.
 
Today, Baltimore’s record high of 74 degrees will likely go by the wayside with upper 70s expected. The warmest reading seen on February 21 in Central Park is 68 degrees, with all-time February temperatures peaking around 75 degrees. Temperatures will likely reach well into the 60s and low 70s across the New York City metro area today. Boston is in the low 70 degrees this afternoon, which will obliterate the former February 21 record of 63 degrees set in 1906.

Record highs for Raleigh, N.C., are around 75 to 76 degrees this week, with temperatures expected to reach around 80 degrees today. Meanwhile, Atlanta can expect the same with high temperatures reaching near 80 degrees and likely shattering daily record highs today and Thursday.
 
Even Florida is getting in on the spring preview. Temperatures will climb into the lower to middle 80s along the Interstate 4 corridor over the next few days, propelling the mercury close to record levels from Tampa to Orlando and Jacksonville. Tampa’s record February high temperature of 88 degrees, set in 1971, fell on Tuesday after a high temperature of 89 degrees was reached.

Temperatures will cool closer to average in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic on Thursday. A wave of rain moving out of the Mississippi Valley will bring temperatures back to more normal readings in the Mid-Atlantic and the Northeast. Highs in the 40s will be normal, with even colder readings in New England, where a wintry mix is possible. The front will have a tough time digging into the Carolinas and Southeast, so another very warm day is on tap. Friday though offers a bit of cooling “relief” for the Southeast.