After a Possible Record Warm September the Warmth May Persist Into October

Linda Lam
Published: September 20,2015

Warm temperatures have dominated much of the U.S. so far in September and many cities are on track to see a record warm September.
If you have been enjoying the summer-like conditions then you may be in luck as much of the contiguous U.S. may have to wait a little longer than usual for fall to set in as there are indications this trend of above-average temperatures will persist into at least the beginning of October.
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Record Warm September Possible

Possible Warm September Records in the Northeast

We are now past the halfway point of September and many cities are on track to have one of their warmest Septembers on record.
A few of the cities in the Northeast that could see a record warm September are:

• New York's current record is 73.5 degrees set in 1961
• Boston's current record is 70.6 degrees set in 1983
• Burlington, Vermont's current record is 65.4 degrees set in 1961
• Caribou, Maine's current record is 61.7 degrees set in 1999

The Midwest and portions of the central U.S. are also on track for a record warm September:

• Chicago's current record is 71.2 degrees set in 1931
• Minneapolis's current record is 68.8 degrees set in 1897
• Dallas's current record is 83.7 degrees set in 2005
• Denver's current record is 68.3 degrees et in 1948

Typically temperatures become cooler as September progresses, but above-average temperatures may very well last through the end of the month which may allow many of these locations to set records.
Hot temperatures started this month in much of the Plains, Midwest and East and this was followed by a taste of fall. However, above average temperatures returned this past week.
Numerous record highs and record warm lows have been set from the Plains into the Midwest and Northeast last week. A few of these latest records include Fargo, North Dakota, which set a new record warm low temperature of 69 degrees on September 15, Marquette, Michigan, where a new record high of 81 degrees was reached on September 16, Amarillo, Texas, which tied their record high of 97 degrees on September 17 and Burlington, Vermont, where a new record high of 86 degrees was set on September 17.
Record hot temperatures were also set earlier in the month which has allowed New York to see the mercury rise to or above 90 degrees six days this September, which usually only experiences one day at or above 90 in September.
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The above-average conditions are courtesy of warm high pressure. The jet stream for much of September has featured a southward dip across the West, bringing cooler conditions to parts of the region, while the jet stream has been pushed northward over the central and eastern portions of the U.S. allowing the warm temperatures to reach farther north.

Warm October Ahead?

A break in the warmth is expected in the eastern half of the country early this week, but another round of warm conditions is expected late this week and this trend will likely continue into early October.
(MAPS: Will the Warmth Continue in the Days Ahead?)
The latest temperature outlook for October released by The Weather Channel Professional Division expects above-average temperatures for much of the country except for portions of the Southwest, as well as the southern and central Plains, especially later in the month. The East may even see temperatures well-above average temperatures in October.
The latest outlook from the Climate Prediction Center also indicates that most of the U.S. may see above-average temperatures, with portions of the Plains, Midwest and interior Northeast as the areas most likely to see warmer than average conditions through September and into early October. Portions of the Pacific Northwest have the best chance of seeing cooler than average temperatures and the Southeast may see temperatures closer to average.
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