(WGHP) – As we approach the first Friday and Saturday in April, you may have noticed something interesting on the 7-day forecast, two near-90 degree days in early April.
The FOX8 Max Weather Team is forecasting afternoon high temperatures on Friday and Saturday to reach the mid to upper 80s.
Both Friday and Saturday’s high temperatures could tie or break the current record high for those days. The record high temperature for Friday is 86° and the record high for Saturday is 87°.
The late week warm up is due to southerly flow which means winds will be blowing from the south. Southerly flow pulls warmer and more humid air from the south, replacing cooler and drier air.
If it feels early to be talking about the upper 80s and possibly our first 90 degree day in the Triad, it’s because it is.
Since 1903, our average first 90 degree day is May 19. However, if we look at the more recent years our first 90 degree day in the Triad has actually been occurring later in the season. In the last 30 years, the average first 90 degree day is May 28 and in the past decade the average first 90 degree day is June 7.
In fact, the last time we reached the 90s in April was about 19 years ago on April 15, 2006.
Will we actually reach the 90s this weekend? Probably not, but temperatures will certainly be unseasonably warm so let’s dive into how common it is to see the mid to upper 80s in early April.
Since 1929, our average first day with high temperatures in the mid-80s or warmer is April 23. So, while the first weekend in April is technically early for mid to upper 80s, it’s only a couple weeks early.
Last year, our first day with temperatures in the mid-80s was April 15 and in 2020 we reached the mid-80s on March 20.
If we do reach the upper 80s Friday or Saturday, it’ll be about a month earlier than normal. Since 1929, our average first day in the upper 80s (87°+) is May 2.
The last time we reached the upper 80s this early or earlier in the season was on March 28, 2020. The earliest we’ve reached the upper 80s in the Triad was on March 15, 1967.
Enjoy the warmer weather through the weekend because a BIG cool down is expected for the second week of April.
