Hundreds Of Heat Records In Jeopardy As Summerlike Sizzle Builds East, Including DC, Atlanta, Philadelphia

Strong Cold Front Brings April Heat Relief

Record heat is forecast for the mid-Atlantic and Southeast this week, with summerlike temperatures soaring into the 80s and even 90s in places like Washington and Atlanta today.

This surge of summerlike heat will build day by day, putting hundreds of daily record highs in jeopardy for several days in a row in some cases, as well as a few monthly records.

So keep those warm-weather clothes out for a while as highs will run as much as 20 to 30 degrees above average for mid-April through at least late-week.

When The Heat Arrives Where You Are

This warm air mass will continue to spill eastward each day, peaking by Wednesday across much of the East.

(MAPS: 10-Day Forecast US Highs/Lows)

We could see the first 90 degree days of 2026 in many locations, including Atlanta, Raleigh, Richmond, Washington and Philadelphia.

Much of the Southeast climbed into the 80s over the weekend and stay there for roughly a week, as temperatures feel more like a summer sizzle than early spring.

Dozens of records could fall across the Southeast multiple days in a row, from Tuesday until at least Saturday.

Atlanta is expected to climb to the 90s by Friday and is expected to break daily high records Wednesday through Friday. The city has only seen 4 days at or above 90 degrees in the month of April in history. It would be the first since 1986 and the earliest 90 degree day on record.

The Northeast Will Sizzle Too

The heat has arrived in the Northeast and will continue to build each day.

On Wednesday, we could see record highs in places like Richmond, Virginia, Washington D.C. and Trenton, New Jersey. Many locations across the Ohio Valley could also be in record territory. Columbus, Ohio, could set records on Wednesday, as temperatures top out in the mid 80s.

Just like in typical spring fashion, there is an end in sight. Models suggest another pattern change by next weekend, bringing relief from the extreme heat.

Records So Far

Tuesday already saw daily high temperature records broken in Delaware and New Jersey. Georgetown and Wilmington, Delaware, both say highs of 87 degrees, which broke daily records, while Atlantic City, New Jersey, broke a daily record with a high of 88.

Lincoln, Nebraska, reached 90 degrees on Monday and Conordia, Kansas, hit 91. These were both daily records.

Just like in typical spring fashion, there is an end in sight. Models suggest another pattern change by the weekend, bringing relief from the extreme heat.

Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for weather.com. She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.