Over the weekend, large swathes of the country from Texas to New York set new daily temperatures records.
Marc Chenard, a National Weather Service meteorologist, stated that temperatures were well above average on Sunday. This was mainly in the Northeast, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
Chenard stated that the record-breaking heat wave in early season was not common but not unheard of.
On Sunday afternoon, nearly 20 million people were subject to a heat advisory. This number dropped to 15.8 million by the evening.
Scientists discovered that climate change increases the probability of heatwaves and intensifies them. Chenard claims he cannot determine whether one particular event is due to climate change. However, Chenard attributes unusual temperatures to changes in weather patterns.
He said that the pattern is like an ocean wave and when it is flatter, temperatures are more common across the country. The wave will have larger peaks and smaller dips as it amplifies. The peaks tend to bring warm air northward, which results in higher temperatures. Whereas the dips pull southward, it is colder.
Chenard stated that this is why we are also experiencing unusually low temperatures in parts of the Rockies, Plains, and Plains this weekend.
Here is a list of new temperature records that were set in the Northeast and South this weekend, according to data from the NWS on Sunday afternoon. These numbers are only preliminary and will not change in the record books.
Richmond, Va. reached 95 degrees and broke its 1962 record of 2 degrees.
Austin, Texas reached 100 degrees today, an increase of 99 degrees in 1939.
San Antonio, Texas reached 101 degrees after jumping from 98 in 1939.
Victoria, Texas saw a record high of 97°F, which was compared to the day’s high of just 96 degrees in 1939.
Vicksburg, Miss., achieved 98 degrees, breaking its 1962 record of 4 degrees.
Georgetown, Del. reached 95 degrees in 1995, surpassing the 94 degree mark in 1996.
Hagerstown, Maryland, experienced a record 91°F day. This was more than the 90° day recorded in 1941.
Islip, N.Y. tied its 1996 record at 90 degrees.
Atlantic City, N.J. reached 93 degrees on this day for the first-time since 1996.
Baton Rouge, La. tied its 1922 record of 95 degrees.
Philadelphia broke its 1934 record of 95°F.
Worcester, Mass. tied its 1975 record for 88 degrees.
Jackson, Ky., surpassed 86 degrees in order to tie its 2018 record.
Dulles Airport, Va. reached 92 degrees in June, tied its mark from 1996.
The Dulles International Airport in Virginia topped the record by 91 degrees. This is 2 degrees more than the record set last year.
Westfield, Mass. reached 93 degrees last year, breaking the previous record of 90 degrees.
Worcester, Mass. tied the record at 90 degrees. This was a mark that was set in 1992.
Tampa, Fla. reached 96 degrees, which is a degree more than the 1975 record.
Sarasota (Fla.) matched its record of 96 degrees from 1974.
