Momma Nature to Forecast: You're Busted! Record Heat in Mid Atlantic

Image (click to enlarge): Surface temperatures at 4 pm EDT, April 4, 2011, from Unisys

Forecasts of highs in the mid 70s for the Washington, DC area were waaay too conservative today. Readings soared into the mid 80s as the preliminary high at Washington National reached 85°. This tied the 1956 record for the date. At Washington Dulles, where records began in 1962, the 84° high easily smashed the old record of 81° originally set in 1981 and tied in 1999. The Baltimore high of 86° also exceeded the old record by 3°. The previous record of 83° was set in 1892 and matched in 1956.

Other records set or tied (old record and date in parentheses):

Norfolk VA     86 (tied, 1963)
Richmond VA    87 (86, 1956)
Bluefield WV   81 (79, 1985)
Georgetown DE  81 (tied, 1963)
Beckley WV     80 (78, 1986) 
Elkins WV      83 (81, 1981)