Although it’s January, you wouldn’t be able to tell by looking at a thermometer. Many areas across the east have been experiencing rising temperatures typically seen during the spring during March and April.
Temperatures are typically at their lowest during this time of year when the days are their shortest; however, the region has seen an increase of 30 to 35 degrees above average.
According to AccuWeather Meteorologist Alan Reppert, the warmth came from a strong high pressure that kept the flow over the area out of the south with few storms that brought cold air in from the north and west, mainly Canada.
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This springlike warmth has even tricked some plants into thinking it is time to sprout with early budbreak seen in many locations.
“Areas from Texas and Florida Gulf Coasts to the Great Lakes and the Northeast have been running noticeably warmer than normal so far in January,” AccuWeather Meteorologist Courtney Travis said.
“Cities from Houston to Atlanta to Chicago to Boston have all been running 5-10 degrees F above normal through Jan. 24,” Travis said.
Temperatures have soared as high as the 60s to the low 70s across the region.
Buffalo, New York, has been roughly 8.5 degrees higher than usual during the month of January, while Boston, Massachusetts, has been about 8.6 degrees higher than average.
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Boston experienced record highs of 70 degrees on consecutive January days for the first time since record-keeping began in 1872.
“Temperatures this high are more characteristic of the normal temperatures for March, or even April,” Travis said.
“We continue to see this warmth remain as most of the upper-level winds remain from the south and southwest,” Reppert said.
However, people enjoying these nice temperatures across the east shouldn’t get used to the unusually warm weather for too long.
Long-range AccuWeather Meteorologist Paul Pastelok forecasts abnormally warm air is not expected to hold out all the way into spring.
“It will be a rather slow transition to spring in March for the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Northeast, with lingering snow, chilly air and more rain to the south,” Pastelok said.
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