Record Heat Update: Day 4

Image (click to enlarge): Surface temperature at 4 pm, April 28, from Unisys

5:30 pm Update: The Portland record has been confirmed:

...PORTLAND MAINE HAD THE HOTTEST TEMPERATURE EVER RECORDED IN THE   
MONTH OF APRIL TODAY. THIS WAS ALSO THE FIRST TIME THE TEMPERATURE   
TOPPED 90 DEGREES IN APRIL...  
  
THE TEMPERATURE REACHED A SCORCHING 92 DEGREES AT THE PORTLAND   
JETPORT THIS AFTERNOON. THIS SHATTERED THE DAILY RECORD FOR APRIL   
28TH WHICH WAS 81 DEGREES SET IN 1990.  
  
THIS ALSO SHATTERED THE PREVIOUS ALL TIME HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 85   
DEGREES FOR THE MONTH OF APRIL. THE 85 DEGREE RECORD OCCURRED ON   
APRIL 21ST IN 1957 AND AGAIN ON APRIL 20TH IN 2005.  
  
TEMPERATURE RECORDS AT THE PORTLAND JETPORT GO BACK TO 1941.   
HOWEVER, TODAY'S 92 DEGREES ALSO TOPPED THE WARMEST READING EVER   
RECORDED IN APRIL AT THE PORTLAND DOWNTOWN LOCATION. THAT RECORD WAS   
89 DEGREES WHICH HAPPENED ON APRIL 20TH, 1927.  DOWNTOWN RECORDS   
BEGAN IN 1874 AND RAN THROUGH 1940. . .  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 81 DEGREES WAS SET AT HOULTON ME TODAY.   
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 71 SET IN 2003.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 76 DEGREES WAS SET AT CARIBOU ME TODAY.   
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 74 SET IN 1986.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 93 DEGREES WAS SET AT BOSTON MA TODAY.   
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 90 SET IN 1990.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 90 DEGREES WAS TIED AT CENTRAL PARK NY   
TODAY AT 238 PM. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 90 SET IN 1990.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 89 DEGREES WAS SET AT LAGUARDIA NY   
TODAY AT 349 PM. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 88 SET IN 1990.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 76 DEGREES WAS SET AT JFK AIRPORT   
NY AT 9:56 AM TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 75 SET IN   
1983.  

Original post:
As the April heat wave comes to a close on day 4, several more records have been set or tied in the Mid Atlantic and Northeast regions. Note that Bangor, Maine broke a 71-year record by 10 degrees. That high followed a low this morning of 44°. Although a record report has not yet been issued, it appears that the 90° reading at Portland this hour also breaks a record from 1938. If confirmed, this would be a new all-time high for the month of April in a record that extends back to 1871.

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 90 DEGREES WAS SET AT BANGOR ME TODAY.   
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 80 SET IN 1938.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 93 DEGREES WAS SET AT CONCORD TODAY.   
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 92 DEGREES SET IN 1990.  
  
UNLIKE PORTLAND, MAINE...CONCORD DID NOT SET A RECORD HIGH   
TEMPERATURE FOR THE ENTIRE MONTH OF APRIL. THIS, HOWEVER WAS THE   
THIRD WARMEST READING EVER MEASURED IN APRIL. THE WARMEST   
TEMPERATURE RECORDED IN APRIL IN CONCORD WAS 95 DEGREES ON APRIL 19,   
1976. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A 94 DEGREE READING ON APRIL 17, 2002.   
  
TEMPERATURE RECORDS IN CONCORD GO BACK TO 1869.  
  
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 87 DEGREES WAS SET AT ATLANTIC CITY NJ   
TODAY AT 154PM EDT. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 86 SET IN 1983.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 90 DEGREES WAS TIED AT NEWARK NJ TODAY   
AT 406 PM. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 90 SET IN 1990.  

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE REACHED 94 DEGREES TODAY AT BRADLEY [CT] AS OF 349   
PM.  THIS TIED THE OLD RECORD HIGH FOR THE DATE SET BACK IN 1990.  

Additional earlier records:

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 88 DEGREES WAS SET AT SYRACUSE NY   
SATURDAY APRIL 25TH. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 84 SET IN 1915.  
  
 A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 91 DEGREES WAS SET AT SYRACUSE NY   
MONDAY APRIL 27TH. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 88 SET IN 1990.   
THIS DAY WAS ALSO THE SECOND WARMEST DAY FOR APRIL. THE WARMEST   
APRIL DAY WAS 92 DEGREES SET ON APRIL 28TH IN 1990.    

A HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 92 DEGREES WAS RECORDED AT WASHINGTON DULLES   
DC YESTERDAY. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 92 SET IN 1990. ALSO...THE   
LOW TEMPERATURE OF 63 DEGREES SET A RECORD HIGH MINIMUM   
TEMPERATURE...BREAKING THE OLD RECORD OF 62 SET IN 1994.  

PM Update: Record Heat, Day 3

Image (click to enlarge): Surface temperature at 4 pm, April 27, from Unisys

Evening Update, 8 pm: Some record high minimums from Sunday:

IN WEST VIRGINIA... 
THE LOW TEMPERATURE AT BLUEFIELD WAS 65 DEGREES. THE PREVIOUS RECORD   
HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE WAS 62 DEGREES SET IN 1984.  

IN VIRGINIA...  
THE LOW TEMPERATURE AT ROANOKE WAS 65 DEGREES. THE PREVIOUS RECORD   
HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE WAS 62 DEGREES SET WAY BACK IN 1939. 

Original post:
Record heat has continued for a third day from the Mid Atlantic area northward to New England. In the Washington, DC metro area, the high of 89° at National Airport was well short of the record of 95°, but Dulles tied the daily record of 92°.

Some record reports from the National Weather Service:

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE ATOP MOUNT MANSFIELD VERMONT WAS 71 DEGREES  
THIS AFTERNOON. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 70 DEGREES SET ON  
THIS DATE IN 1990.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 89 DEGREES WAS SET AT BINGHAMTON NY TODAY.   
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 85 SET IN 1990.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 92 DEGREES WAS TIED AT HARRISBURG PA   
TODAY. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 92 SET IN 1957.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 86 DEGREES WAS SET AT THE ERIE   
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AT 451 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON. THIS   
BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 83 SET IN 1938.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 88 DEGREES WAS TIED AT MORGANTOWN WV   
TODAY.  THE RECORD WAS SET IN 1990.
  
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 88 DEGREES WAS SET AT ELKINS WV TODAY.   
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 87 SET IN 1990.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 91 DEGREES WAS SET AT MARTINSBURG WV TODAY.   
THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 91 SET IN 1957.  

THE MERCURY CLIMBED TO 91 DEGREES AT GEORGETOWN, DELAWARE TODAY.   
THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 91 DEGREES SET IN 1957.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 89 DEGREES WAS SET AT WALLOPS ISLAND   
VA TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 86 SET IN 1985.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 92 DEGREES WAS SET AT WASHINGTON   
DULLES DC TODAY. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 92 SET IN 1990.  

Heat Records Continue to Fall

Image (click to enlarge): Surface temperature at 2 pm EDT from Unisys

PM Update, 6:00 EDT:
An official National Weather Service record report has apparently not been issued, but the high at Washington Dulles of 92° tied the record set in 1990. The highs of 92° at Washington National and 91° at BWI were not records. The Baltimore Inner Harbor high was 93°.

New record reports:

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 90 DEGREES WAS SET AT AVOCA PA TODAY.   
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 88 SET IN 1990. 
 
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 86 DEGREES WAS SET AT THE YOUNGSTOWN   
WARREN REGIONAL AIRPORT AT 452 PM EDT THIS AFTERNOON. THIS TIES THE   
OLD RECORD OF 86 SET IN 1990.  

..RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE SET AT GEORGETOWN, DELAWARE  
  THE TEMPERATURE TODAY AT THE GEORGETOWN AIRPORT TOPPED OUT AT A HOT    
94 DEGREES. THIS SURPASSED THE PREVIOUS RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR   
THIS DATE OF 91 DEGREES, WHICH WAS SET BACK IN 1960.  

IN WEST VIRGINIA...  
THE HIGH OF 86 DEGREES AT THE AIRPORT IN BLUEFIELD IS A NEW RECORD   
FOR THE DATE. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 84 SET IN 1994.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 85 DEGREES WAS SET AT BECKLEY WV TODAY.   
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 83 SET IN 1990.  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 87 DEGREES WAS TIED AT MORGANTOWN WV   
TODAY. THE RECORD WAS SET IN 1990.  
  
IN VIRGINIA...  
THE HIGH OF 85 DEGREES AT THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE OFFICE IS A   
NEW RECORD FOR THE DATE. THE PREVIOUS RECORD WAS 84 SET IN 1990. [Blacksburg]  

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 85 DEGREES WAS SET AT WALLOPS ISLAND   
VA TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 84 SET IN 1994.  

PM Update, 4:00 EDT: Culpeper and Leesburg, VA have also reached 95°.

PM Update, 3:00 EDT: Stafford and Fredericksburg, VA have reached 95°.

The National Climatic Data Center reports that a total of 92 daily maximum temperature records were set and 57 were tied on April 25. For the month to date, 698 new records have been set, and 322 have been tied. There have been 10 new April monthly maximum temperature records set and 17 tied.

New record report:

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 86 DEGREES WAS SET AT HARTFORD CT   
TODAY. THE TEMPERATURE CLIMBED TO 86 DEGREES AT 230 PM THIS   
AFTERNOON AT BRADLEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. THIS BREAKS THE OLD   
RECORD OF 83 FOR THIS DATE SET IN 1908.  

PM Update, 2:00 EDT: Temperatures have reached 90° at 2 out of 3 major reporting stations in the Washington, DC area (Dulles, BWI). National Airport is at 89.1°F/31.7°C. Elsewhere in the region, readings are 93° at Fredericksburg, Leesburg, and Culpeper in Virginia, and Frederick in Maryland. Other locations at 90°F/32°C are:

Baltimore/downtown 92°
Ft. Belvoir        92°
Stafford           91°
College Park       91°
Ft. Meade          91°
Hagerstown         91°
Andrews AFB        90°
Salisbury          90°
Staunton           90°
Easton             90°
Cumberland         90°
Winchester         90°
Manassas           90° 

New record report:

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 83 DEGREES WAS SET AT BRIDGEPORT CT   
TODAY AT 211 PM. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 80 SET IN 1985.  

Original post:
A widespread area of 80°+ temperatures from the Mid Atlantic area through southern New England by noon today indicated that more daily maximum temperature records were likely to fall. In the Washington, DC metro area, many locations, including Dulles Airport, were at 90°F/32°C by 1 pm.

Record reports were already coming in:

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 87 DEGREES WAS SET AT ISLIP NY TODAY   
AT 1259 PM. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 78 SET IN 1985.  

AT 1255 AM THE TEMPERATURE REACHED 85 DEGREES AT LOGAN INTERNATIONAL   
AIRPORT. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 85 DEGREES SET IN 1872. THIS   
MARKS THE SECOND TIME IN AS MANY DAYS THAT BOSTON HAS TIED THE   
RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE DAY.  

Late report from yesterday:

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 90 DEGREES WAS SET AT CONCORD NH   
YESTERDAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 85 SET IN 1942.  

Early-Season Heat Reaches East Coast Records Set from Maine to North Carolina

Image (click to enlarge): Surface temperature at 4 pm April 25 from Unisys

Record heat continued moving eastward Saturday. Here are some National Weather Service record daily temperature reports:

Maine:
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 77 DEGREES WAS SET AT CARIBOU MAINE
SEVERAL TIMES THIS AFTERNOON. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 76 SET
IN 1942. THIS REPORT WILL BE UPDATED PRIOR TO MIDNIGHT IN THE EVENT
THE TEMPERATURE RISES ANOTHER DEGREE OR TWO PRIOR TO 6 PM EDT.

Vermont:
THE HIGH TEMPERATURE AT THE BURLINGTON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT IN  
SOUTH BURLINGTON VERMONT WAS 86 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON. THIS  
BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 84 DEGREES SET ON THIS DATE IN 1913.  

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE AT KNAPP STATE AIRPORT IN MONTPELIER VERMONT
WAS 85 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 78 DEGREES
SET ON THIS DATE IN 1982.

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE AT THE FAIRBANKS MUSEUM IN SAINT JOHNSBURY
VERMONT WAS 87 DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD
OF 85 DEGREES SET ON THIS DATE IN 1913.

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE ATOP MOUNT MANSFIELD VERMONT WAS 67 DEGREES
THIS AFTERNOON. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 62 DEGREES SET ON
THIS DATE IN 1957.

Massachusetts:
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 86 DEGREES WAS SET AT WORCESTER MA
TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 83 SET IN 1942.

...DAILY RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE TIED AT BOSTON LOGAN AIRPORT...
AT 3:27 PM THE TEMPERATURE REACHED 83 DEGREES TYING THE OLD RECORD
OF 83 DEGREES SET IN 1982.

Connecticut:
A NEW RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THIS DATE WAS SET FOR HARTFORD CT.
AT 327 PM THE TEMPERATURE AT BRADLEY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REACHED
91 DEGREES. THIS BROKE THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 87 DEGREES SET IN 1915.

New York:
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 79 DEGREES WAS SET AT WATERTOWN NY TODAY.
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 77 SET IN 2008.

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 85 DEGREES WAS SET AT BINGHAMTON NY
TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 81 SET IN 1990.

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 88 DEGREES WAS SET AT SYRACUSE NY
TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 83 SET IN 1990.

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE AT RICHARDS FIELD IN MASSENA NEW YORK WAS 83
DEGREES THIS AFTERNOON. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 76 DEGREES
SET ON THIS DATE IN 1990.

AS OF 3 PM EDT ON SATURDAY...APRIL 25...2009...THE TEMPERATURE AT
ALBANY INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT REACHED 88 DEGREES. THIS BREAKS THE
RECORD DAILY MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE. THE PREVIOUS RECORD
HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE WAS 86 DEGREES...SET BACK IN 1915.
RECORDS AT ALBANY GO BACK TO 1874.

ON SATURDAY...APRIL 25...2009...THE HIGH TEMPERATURE AT ALBANY   
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT WAS 89 DEGREES. THIS BREAKS THE RECORD DAILY   
MAXIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE. THE PREVIOUS RECORD HIGH   
TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE WAS 86 DEGREES...SET BACK IN 1915. RECORDS   
AT ALBANY GO BACK TO 1874.  

Pennsylvania:
AT PITTSBURGH INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, THE HIGH WAS 87.  THIS TIES THE
RECORD HIGH FOR THE DATE SET IN 1990.  THE LOW WAS 69, BREAKING THE
RECORD WARM LOW TEMPERATURE, 66 FROM 1925.  THE MEAN TEMPERATURE WAS
78, BREAKING THE RECORD HIGH MEAN TEMPERATURE, 76 FROM 1925.

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 87 DEGREES WAS SET AT AVOCA PA
TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 83 SET IN 1960.

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 86 DEGREES WAS SET AT THE ERIE
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 85 SET IN
1957.

New Jersey:
THE HIGH TEMPERATURE TODAY AT THE ATLANTIC CITY INTERNATIONAL
AIRPORT IN POMONA TOPPED OUT AT A HOT 92 DEGREES. THIS SURPASSED THE
PREVIOUS RECORD HIGH FOR THIS DATE OF 89 DEGREES, WHICH WAS SET BACK
IN 1994.

Delaware:
THE HIGH TEMPERATURE TODAY AT THE GEORGETOWN AIRPORT WAS A HOT 93
DEGREES. THIS SURPASSED THE PREVIOUS RECORD HIGH FOR THIS DATE OF 91
DEGREES, WHICH WAS SET BACK IN 1960.

Virginia:
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 86 DEGREES WAS SET AT BLACKSBURG VIRGINIA
TODAY. THE PRIOR RECORD WAS 84 DEGREES IN 1960.

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 85 DEGREES WAS SET AT WALLOPS ISLAND   
VA TODAY. THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 84 SET IN 1994.  

West Virginia:
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 85 DEGREES WAS SET AT BLUEFIELD WEST
VIRGINIA TODAY. THE PRIOR RECORD WAS 83 DEGREES IN 1994.

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 85 DEGREES WAS SET AT BECKLEY WV TODAY.
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 82 SET IN 1990.

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 90 DEGREES WAS SET AT HUNTINGTON WV TODAY.
THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 90 SET IN 1957.

AT MORGANTOWN WEST VIRGINIA, THE HIGH WAS 88.  THIS BREAKS THE
RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE FOR THE DATE, 86 FROM 1960.

North Carolina:
THE RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 92 DEGREES WAS TIED AT RALEIGH-DURHAM
INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT AROUND 330 PM THIS AFTERNOON. THE RECORD WAS
INITIALLY SET IN 1960. ANOTHER STATEMENT WILL FOLLOW LATER THIS
AFTERNOON OR EARLY THIS EVENING IF THE RECORD IS BROKEN.

Tennessee:
A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 88 DEGREES WAS SET AT LOVELL FIELD IN   
CHATTANOOGA TODAY. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 88 DEGREES SET IN   
1986.  

Ohio:
AT ZANESVILLE OHIO, THE HIGH WAS 87.  THIS TIES THE RECORD HIGH FOR
THE DATE SET IN 1948.

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 85 DEGREES WAS SET AT THE MANSFIELD
LAHM AIRPORT TODAY. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 85 SET IN 1990.

A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 86 DEGREES WAS SET AT THE YOUNGSTOWN
WARREN REGIONAL AIRPORT TODAY. THIS TIES THE OLD RECORD OF 86 SET IN
1990.

Record Heat Moves Eastward Records Set in Iowa, South Dakota

Image (click to enlarge): Surface temperature at 1 pm CDT from Unisys

11 pm CDT Update: Official National Weather Service record reports:

AT 538 PM CDT...THE TEMPERATURE AT MITCHELL SOUTH DAKOTA PEAKED AT
92 DEGREES. THIS TIED THE RECORD SET BACK IN 1939.

THROUGH 552 PM CDT...THE TEMPERATURE AT SIOUX FALLS SOUTH DAKOTA
HELD AT 91 DEGREES. THIS SMASHED THE OLD RECORD HIGH OF 87...SET
BACK IN 1939.

THROUGH 547 PM CDT...THE TEMPERATURE AT HURON SOUTH DAKOTA HELD AT
91 DEGREES. THIS BROKE THE RECORD HIGH OF 89...SET IN 1990.

AT 538 PM CDT...THE TEMPERATURE AT MITCHELL SOUTH DAKOTA PEAKED AT
92 DEGREES. THIS TIED THE RECORD HIGH OF 92...SET BACK IN 1939.

AT 420 PM CDT...THE TEMPERATURE AT YANKTON SOUTH DAKOTA WAS HOLDING
AT 90 DEGREES. THIS BROKE THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 88...SET IN 1990.

AT 330 PM CDT...THE TEMPERATURE AT BROOKINGS SOUTH DAKOTA REACHED 88
DEGREES. THIS EXCEEDED THE RECORD OF 86...SET BACK IN 1962.

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE AT ACADEMY SOUTH DAKOTA THIS AFTERNOON WAS 95
DEGREES. THIS BROKE THE RECORD OF 92...SET IN 1990.

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE AT MENNO SOUTH DAKOTA THIS AFTERNOON WAS 92
DEGREES. THIS TIED THE RECORD OF 92...SET BACK IN 1939.

AT 346 PM CDT...THE TEMPERATURE AT SIOUX CITY IOWA PEAKED AT 92
DEGREES. THIS SMASHED THE OLD RECORD OF 87...SET BACK IN 1939.

AT 338 PM CDT...THE TEMPERATURE AT SIOUX CENTER IOWA WAS HOLDING AT
89 DEGREES. THIS TIED THE RECORD OF 89...SET IN 1990.

AT 325 PM CDT...THE TEMPERATURE AT SPENCER IOWA PEAKED AT 86 DEGREES.
THIS BROKE THE PREVIOUS RECORD OF 84...SET IN 1990.

 A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 90 DEGREES WAS SET AT ABERDEEN SD TODAY.
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 87 SET IN 1994.

 A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 89 DEGREES WAS SET AT MOBRIDGE SD TODAY.
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 87 SET IN 1990.

 A RECORD HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 88 DEGREES WAS SET AT PIERRE SD TODAY.
THIS BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 87 SET IN 1990. 

4 pm CDT Update: Records continue to fall:

Huron       90
Sioux Falls 91

PM Update: As of 3 pm CDT, records continue to be tied or broken in the upper Midwest. Here are some current readings, along with the old records for the date:

Location     3 pm CDT  Old record Year
South Dakota
Huron        89           89      1990  
Sioux Falls  89           87      1939
Minnesota
Marshall     90           90      1960
Worthington  86           86      1980
Iowa
Sioux City   90           87      1939
Spencer      87           84      1990 

Original post:
As the record heat wave in California has subsided, record heat is now moving eastward into the Midwest. By 1 pm CDT, a brisk southerly wind brought the temperature at Sioux City, Iowa to 87°, tying the record set in 1939. In nearby southeastern South Dakota, Sioux Falls at 86° was 1° below its record high for the date. Spencer, Iowa's reading of 85° had already surpassed its 1990 record by 1°.

Mid Atlantic Drought Diminishes

The Drought Monitor for the week ending April 21 shows that the recent rains have removed the Mid Atlantic area from the Moderate Drought category. Thanks to a precipitation deficit extending back into the last quarter of 2008, however, the area still remains at the minimal level of Abnormally Dry. All of Maryland and most of Virginia are in this category, and the dry area extends northeastward through Delaware, the southern half of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and into extreme southwestern New England.

In the immediate Washington, DC region, the driest area extends from the northern Shenandoah Valley eastward through northern Virginia, the District of Columbia, and southern Maryland, where most places have seen only 50-75% of average precipitation over the last 90 days.

Through this morning, here are the year-to-date precipitation totals and departures from average for the Nation's Capital area:

Washington National: 9.11"/-20%
Washington Dulles:   9.19"/-21%
Baltimore (BWI):    10.77"/-14% 

Images (click to enlarge): 90-day percentage of normal precipitation from NWS, Washington DC precipitation vs. average from Climate Prediction Center

California Heat Update: April Monthly Records Set

10 pm PDT Update: New records for April 22:

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE AT FRESNO/YOSEMITE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THIS
AFTERNOON WAS 96 DEGREES. THIS BROKE THE RECORD FOR THE DATE OF 95
DEGREES SET IN 1910.

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE AT BAKERSFIELD...MEADOWS FIELD...HAD A HIGH
TODAY OF 97. THIS TIES THE RECORD SET ON THIS DATE IN 1987.

OTHER RECORDS ESTABLISHED TODAY INCLUDE MERCED AIRPORT WITH 95
DEGREES...MADERA AIRPORT AT 97 DEGREES. THESE BOTH BROKE RECORDS
THAT WERE SET IN 2002. AT HANFORD MUNICIPAL AIRPORT...THE HIGH TODAY
WAS 96...BREAKING THE OLD RECORD SET IN 1998. HOWEVER...THESE ARE
RELATIVELY NEW CLIMATE STATIONS WITH ONLY 11 YEARS OF RECORDS. 

TODAYS HIGH AT RED BLUFF AIRPORT REACHED 94...WHICH BREAKS THE OLD
RECORD HIGH OF 90 SET IN 1954.

THE SACRAMENTO CITY HIGH TEMPERATURE HAS REACHED 94 DEGREES...THE
OLD RECORD WAS 92 SET IN 1984. SACRAMENTO EXECUTIVE AIRPORT REACHED
92...THE OLD RECORD WAS 87 SET IN 1949.

TODAYS HIGH TEMPERATURE AT STOCKTON AIRPORT REACHED 96 DEGREES. THIS
BREAKS THE OLD RECORD OF 88 LAST SET IN 1987.

THE HIGH TEMPERATURE OF 99 DEGREES AT MODESTO AIRPORT TODAY BROKE
THE OLD RECORD OF 93 SET IN 1946.  

Original post:
Some of the recent high temperatures in California are new records for the entire month of April; several are as much as a week earlier than the old ones as well:

LOCATION            RECORD/DATE            PREVIOUS APRIL RECORD/DATE
--------            ------------           --------------------------

NAPA                95 (TIED) - 4/21/2009    95 - 4/27/2004
                                                  4/26/2004
                                                  4/29/1981
                                                  4/28/1921

OAKLAND AIRPORT     91 - 4/20/2009           88 - 4/27/2004
                                                  4/26/2004
                                                  4/23/1966

SAN JOSE            95 (TIED) - 4/20/2009    95 - 4/30/1996
                                                  4/9/1989

SANTA CRUZ          97 - 4/21/2009           95 - 4/25/1926
                                                  4/11/1898

GILROY              101 - 4/21/2009         100 - 4/30/1981

HOLLISTER           101 - 4/21/2009          98 - 4/28/2004
                                                  4/27/2004

MONTEREY CLIM STA   93 (TIED) - 4/21/2009    93 - 4/29/1981

KING CITY           104 - 4/21/2009         102 - 4/26/2004
                                                  4/29/1981 

Some record high minimums were also set:

THE LOW AT MEADOWS FIELD...BAKERSFIELD...THIS MORNING WAS 66
DEGREES. THIS BREAKS THE RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR
BAKERSFIELD FOR TODAY OF 62 DEGREES...SET IN 1982.

THE LOW AT FRESNO-YOSEMITE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT THIS MORNING WAS 60
DEGREES. THIS TIED THE RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR FRESNO
FOR TODAY...LAST SET IN 1998.

THE LOW AT MEADOWS FIELD...BAKERSFIELD...ON APRIL 21ST WAS 64
DEGREES. THIS BROKE THE RECORD HIGH MINIMUM TEMPERATURE FOR
BAKERSFIELD FOR THE 21ST OF 63 DEGREES...SET IN 1950.