Not Just Vermont: Widespread Impressive Record Highs Being Set Across U.S., World

Map of United States temperatures shows the entire
Lower 48 quite hot except northern Plains, northern/
central Rockies and Pacific Northwest. 

I've been harping on the record and near record heat enveloping us in Vermont, but this hot weather has been pretty widespread lately.  

This is following a summer trend that has largely excluded Vermont until now. 

Record heat has been settling into various parts of the nation all summer. But the last time we had any record highs in Vermont was in early June. 

Both New Orleans and Baton Rouge, Louisiana had 33 record highs this summer, for instance. 

As September opened, record heat gripped much of the nation, and this time, it spread into Vermont. Some of those records outside the Green Mountain State have been pretty impressive.  

On Sunday, the often frigid cities Duluth and Hibbing, in northern Minnesota reached all time highs for September, with Duluth getting to 99 and Hibbing reaching 95 degrees. Wausau. Wisconsin tied its September record, reaching 99 degrees.

Monday, more cities hit all time record highs for the month of September,  said weather historian Maximiliano Herrera.  Those included ten cities in Minnesota and six in Wisconsin. Borger, Texas and Lancaster, Pennsylvania also set all time records for the month of September. 

On Tuesday, the heat was widespread, as record highs were reported as far west as Abilene, Texas, which had a high of 107 degree, a new September record. Other record highs for the date were reported as far northwest as Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, as far south as Raleigh, North Carolina and as far northeast as Millinocket, Maine. 

On Monday, temperatures over 100 degrees were reported as far north as Huron, South Dakota.  

Usually, school closings come in winter, as snow and ice storms cause havoc. This time, it's the heat. Schools in Michigan, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, Ohio, Wisconsin, Iowa, Indiana, Illinois, New Jersey and Missouri closed this week due to hot weather. 

This all isn't limited to the United States, either. All time record heat for September was reported in Japan, South Korea, China, Myanmar, Iran, Iraq, sections of Europe from Spain to Switzerland and in parts of northern Russia, Herrera, the weather historian noted. More than 200 French cities have already reported all time record highs for September. 

By this warped, climate change standard, Vermont is relatively cool this week. True, Burlington broke a record high for the date today, reaching 92 degrees  Montpelier also broke its record high for the date, reaching at least 86.

However, today's records are for today's date, and fell short of reaching all time highs for the entire month of September.  

 I'm sure quite a few other cities in the eastern United States had record highs today, and I can update that tomorrow. 

The heat will taper off in the east by the weekend. But new, probably record heat waves are developing in the next few days in Texas, Louisiana, Arizona and extreme southeastern California.