First 90 Degree Temperature Of The Season In Burlington, But No More For Awhile

Boaters try to cool off on Lake Champlain last September
4 during a three-day stretch of 90 degree weather. We
had our first 90 of the season Wednesday, and recent
years have featured a larger than usual number of such days.

 The temperature did make it to 90 degrees in Burlington, Vermont for the first time this year. But don't count on it happening again for while.  

The last time it was 90 degrees before Wednesday wasn't all that long ago if you think about it. That happened on September 6, 2023,

A general cooling trend is coming over the next week, starting today.  We're off to a warm, humid start today, but  cold front will take care of that. 

We still expect a few showers and thunderstorms until this comes through, mainly this morning and early afternoon, perhaps lasting into mid-afternoon southeast.

It still looks like the front will come through too soon in the day to allow for any severe weather, aside from some lightning and quick hit or miss downpours. Eastern and southern New England might see a few severe storms as the front will make to the coast later today.

It'll remain on the warm side Friday through Sunday with daytime highs well into the 70s to a few spot 80 degree readings.  That's toasty for this time of year, but not ridiculous.

After that, starting mostly Monday night, we enter a long showery and cool period. Frankly, some of us could use more rain so that's not a bad thing. And the lack of oppressive summer heat next week will be a bit of relief, too

90 DEGREE CLIMATOLOGY

The first 90 degrees in Burlington was earlier than usual, but didn't break any records.  The average date of the first 90 is June 19th, says the National Weather Service in Burlington. 

The earliest 90 was incredibly early - April 17, 2002.

At least as measured in Burlington, we get on average about six days per year with highs of 90 degrees or more.  It varies a lot year to year, though. I've looked at records so far dating a century and found nine years with absolutely no 90 degree days. The last time that happened was in 2004.

The most 90s in a single year was in 1949 when we had 26 such days. 

I have noticed what seems to be an uptick of 90 degree days in recent years. Probably caused by a mix of mostly climate change and perhaps a little influence from an urban heat island effect as development has increased in and near Burlington. 

Each of the past nine years ending in 2023 had at least eight days reaching 90 degrees. There's not nearly that long of such a streak anywhere in previous record. Only one year since 2010 has had a below normal number of 90 degree days. (That was in 2014, when it only got that hot twice). 

Temperatures in the 90s during May does not necessarily translate into a hot summer, but it can. 

Twenty of the past 100 Mays, including this year, have gotten to 90.  Thirteen years in the past century that had 90 degree weather in May ended up having an above normal number of such days, while seven had near to below the normal allotment.  

Long range forecasts do call for a hot summer in New England, but those prognostications can be unreliable.  We'll just have to wait and see if we'll need to crank the air conditioning once again this summer. Or, if you're sick of the heat, we might hope for the first "cool" summer in a decade.