New England’s warming trend is breaking temperature records

The record-breaking heat comes a day after all of New England experienced arguably its best weekend weather yet this fall. Temperatures climbed well into the 70s, with plenty of sunshine and calm conditions for prime foliage and pumpkin patch weather. On Sunday, Boston reached a high of 77.

However, Monday marked the peak of the heat as an extensive area of ​​high pressure over the Northeast continues to push temperatures 10 to 20 degrees above normal.

Cool days prevail in late October and the average high temperature in the third week of the month is 60 degrees. Still, this prevailing high pressure over our region has been a fairly stable weather factor, as has its sinking, dry air prevents storms from forming and keeps clouds away.

But there are two main drivers of this heat: The first is the jet stream, which has been pushed far north and has caused enormous amounts of warm air to enter the region.

The upside-down arc or U-shape seen below is a clear indication that south of the jet stream there is high pressure and the atmosphere is stable. This warm air comes mainly from the south, but also from the atmosphere above – sinking air from high-pressure compressions that warms the air as it sinks to the ground.

The second force behind this warming trend is the accumulation of warm air in the upper layers of the atmosphere over New England. Meteorologists often look at the upper level pattern to see where warming and cooling may occur in a general location. If you see higher than average altitudes, it signals that warming is occurring above and below that point in the atmosphere. So when there is warmer air higher in the atmosphere, it’s like putting another blanket on the bed, and that warm layer can push temperatures higher on the surface.

This pattern will likely persist through the end of the day on Wednesday, keeping daily highs in the mid-70s. A cold front will move through the region late Wednesday or early Thursday, with the jet stream ridge turning into a low and cooler air prevailing over the region to close out the week.

The good news is that the cold front is expected to bring much-needed rain to New England. Large parts of the region are unusually dry and experiencing a moderate drought, although rain activity will be limited to light showers later this week and water levels are not expected to replenish significantly.

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Ken Mahan can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Instagram @kenmahantheweatherman.