It’s the end of September. Leaves are changing, the smell of pumpkin spice is in the air, and temperatures are turning chillier…
That doesn’t seem right. The weather has remained hot the past couple of weeks!
Sunset on Sept. 15. Much of the haze that appears was actually smoke from wildfires in the Western US.
Here in Oswego, we have put together a string of 14 days straight with 70º+ high temperatures, with a few of those eclipsing 80º as well. Nearby Fulton, NY, away from the cooler Lake Ontario, even reached 91º on the 25th. (Normal highs this time of year are in the mid to upper 60s.) This sounds like mid-summer weather to me!
So, why has it been so warm lately? Thank a persistent, strong ridge of high pressure over the eastern US. This high promoted a “bubble” in the jet stream extending well north of the international border, allowing warm air to flood the region. Active weather systems tend to be located near the jet stream, hence the large absence of clouds and rain. Additionally, the ridge was a major factor in steering the remains of hurricanes Irma and Jose away from our region. And, as a result, the region has had a wonderful stretch of warm, dry weather. We could use some rain in the near future, however.
The pattern looks to finally break in a couple of days, with much cooler temps by the weekend. Fall lovers rejoice!
Another picture-perfect sunset, Sept. 23