An unusual April heat wave pushed temperatures into the 80s and 90s across the eastern United States on Wednesday, with major cities from Atlanta to New York City facing potential record highs that the National Weather Service said could persist through Friday. A strong ridge of high pressure fueling moisture into the southern plains drove the unseasonable conditions, the weather service said. Washington, D.C., was forecast to reach 93 degrees Fahrenheit (33.9 Celsius) Wednesday and again Thursday; Philadelphia was expected to hit 92 degrees (33 Celsius).
The multi-day duration of the heat event sets it apart from typical April warm spells, according to AccuWeather senior meteorologist John Feerick, who described it as “borderline unprecedented as far as the duration of it this time of year.” Heat is the leading weather-related cause of death in the United States, the National Weather Service warns, and early-season heat can be especially dangerous before people have had time to acclimate.
Temperatures and records at stake
The National Weather Service projected a high of approximately 86 degrees Fahrenheit (30 Celsius) for Central Park in New York City on Wednesday. The record high for that date is 87 degrees, set in 1941, the weather service said.
Atlanta was projected to reach 88 degrees Fahrenheit (31 Celsius). Washington, D.C., could see a high of 94 degrees Fahrenheit (34 Celsius), forecasters said.
“We’re going to have records challenged from basically Georgia all the way up through the New York City area and back toward the Ohio Valley,” Feerick said. “It’s really some very impressive heat for the middle of April, for sure.”
The Carolinas faced the prospect of additional records later in the week. “Widespread lower to even middle 90s are expected Friday across the lower elevations of the Carolinas, which could set additional daily records and perhaps come close to some monthly records,” the Weather Prediction Center wrote in a memo.
Health risks
The National Weather Service cautioned that early-season heat carries particular risk because residents have not yet adapted to warmer temperatures. Infants and young children, older adults, people with chronic medical conditions, and pregnant women are especially vulnerable to heat-related illness and death, the agency said.
Humidity was not expected to reach summertime peaks, offering a partial offset. “The good thing about this is that the humidity is not summertime levels,” Feerick said, adding that conditions would not feel as oppressive as a July heat event.
When relief arrives
The heat wave was forecast to begin breaking down by Sunday as a strong cold front moved toward the Eastern Seaboard. Conditions should be “pleasantly cooler” by Monday, the weather service said, with the front heading out to sea.
Along the Jersey Shore
On the boardwalks of Seaside Park, New Jersey, hundreds of people turned out Wednesday to enjoy the warm day. Temperatures near the water ran about 15 degrees cooler than inland areas, held down by a slight breeze off the ocean.
Javier Estrada, 19, of New York, took a break from a beach football game. “After all the nasty cold and snow we had to deal with this winter, this is our payback,” he said. “I’m here with my buds, we’re having a blast and God is smiling on us. What more can you ask for?”
Tom Larkin, 48, of Toms River, New Jersey, walked the boardwalk with his 3-year-old Labrador retriever, Vader. “On a day like this I don’t mind the extra time here,” he said. “The people are great and the scenery is gorgeous, and it’s not too crowded yet.”