Published: October 16,2015
More record highs are expected in the West through late this week, keeping a summerlike feel in the air for some areas and keeping 2015 on pace to become the warmest year on record for many states.
September temperatures kept that pace going, as Utah, Colorado and New Mexico registered their warmest September on record. California, Nevada, Arizona and Wyoming all experienced a top 10-warmest September, according to NOAA's recent monthly report.
(MORE: Record Warm September)
Searing heat also continues in the south-central states, where more record highs are likely the next few days before a cooldown arrives.
Western Warmth Will Persist Through The Week
Forecast Highs Next 3 Days
The western United States has felt plenty of warm weather as of late, and the last few days have been no exception.
Record highs were set over this weekend and late last week, including at Camarillo, California, where an all-time record high temperature of 108 degrees was set on Oct. 9. The previous record was 103 degrees on Sept. 24, 1978.
With a high of 90 degrees Monday, Camarillo also tied their all-time October record of five straight days with high temperatures at least 90 degrees, set just one month ago -- September 7-11, 2015.
Colorado Springs, Colorado tied its record high for October on Sunday afternoon when the mercury reached 87 degrees. A daily record high temperature was also set on Sunday in San Diego (94 degrees) and downtown Los Angeles tied their record of 100 degrees.
For Los Angeles, Sunday was the third consecutive day with a high temperature of 100 degrees. The National Weather Service said that this was the most consecutive days 100 degrees or hotter there since April 1989. It also ties as the longest such streak for the month of October.
Las Vegas set a record Wednesday for most days in October with low temperatures at or above 70 degrees with eight days and the previous record was five days.
There are no signs of anything but warmer-than-average temperatures to continue across the West through this week.
(MAPS: 10-Day Forecast)
A few daily record highs are possible to end the work week including (current record high is in parenthesis):
- Medford, Oregon on Friday (86 degrees)
- Seattle on Friday (70 degrees)
- Portland, Oregon on Friday (80 degrees)
Tuesday featured numerous record highs as well, some of which include Modesto, California (96), Sacramento, California (96), San Jose, California (93) and Reno, Nevada (89).
More records were set on Wednesday, including Alturas, California (88), Reno, Nevada (87) and Salt Lake City, Utah (83). Phoenix, Arizona tied their record high for the date after reaching 100 degrees.
On Thursday, a daily record high temperature was set in Medford, Oregon (92) and Portland, Oregon tied their record high of 80 degrees.
With the exception of coastal California, where September and October are normally the hottest part of the year, the high temperatures expected for many locations are what you would expect in the summer, not in mid-October.
(MORE: When the First Snow of the Season Typically Falls)
On Friday, the Pacific Northwest and Great Basin will continue to see highs up to 20 degrees above average.
Los Angeles is not expected to break any more records the rest of the week. High temperature will be a few degrees either side of 80 through the weekend.
Seattle is seeing the opposite progression as their warmest day is expected on Friday with highs in the lows 70s, compared to 60s early in the week.
Temperatures will be closer to average across the West by early next week.
South-Central Heat Setting Records
Forecast Highs Next 3 Days
The south-central states are also seeing record heat this week. The hot and dry conditions combined with gusty winds have contributed to a number of brush fires in the region.
(MORE: Hot, Dry Conditions Help Spread Brush Fires)
In Texas, daily record highs were set Tuesday in McAllen (98 degrees), Houston (95 degrees), and Corpus Christi (94 degrees). Brownsville tied its daily record high Tuesday, topping out at 95 degrees.
A few daily records were also set in Louisiana Tuesday, including Lafayette (92 degrees) and Alexandria (92 degrees - tie).
Some records were set on Wednesday, some of which include Waco, Texas (98), Shreveport, Louisiana (96) and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (93).
The latest 96 degree temperature on record was measured on Wednesday in Austin, Texas (Camp Mabry) and on Monday a high of 99 degrees set a record for latest 99 degree temperature or higher by a margin of 10 days.
The high temperature of 98 degrees at Shreveport, Louisiana on Thursday crushed the daily record high by 7 degrees and was the hottest temperature so late in the season, on record, dating back to 1874.
Despite starting the day at 45 degrees, Muscle Shoals, Alabama skyrocketed to an afternoon high of 91 degrees on Thursday, which was also a daily record.
Dallas, Texas got in on the record heat as well, following their Thursday high temperature of 95 degrees, which broke the old record of 92.
More record heat is likely on Friday before temperatures trend downward this weekend.
- Houston (92 degrees)
- New Orleans (90 degrees)
- Lake Charles, Louisiana (93 degrees)
Meteorology Behind the Warmth
Typically, the jet stream will begin to dip farther south allowing cooler temperatures to dive southward during the fall. However, so far this year the cold air has remained over Canada for the most part.
This week, the jet stream will become more amplified with the jet stream sliding farther north over western Canada and dipping southward over the eastern U.S.
(MORE: Pattern Change May Bring Winter Preview to Northeast)
The result will be the record high temperatures in the West and south-central states while portions of the Midwest and Northeast will see colder conditions and possibly some flakes of snow.
MORE: California Wildfires Sept. 2015 (PHOTOS)
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