Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Temperatures this week could break records in Delaware

Delaware Public Media

Temperatures are expected to reach the low 70s Tuesday and mid to high 70s on Wednesday, likely setting new record highs across the First State for this time of year.
Temperatures will reach 71 and 76 degrees Fahrenheit on Tuesday, Feb. 20 and Wednesday, Feb. 21 respectively in Wilmington, according to the National Weather Service. The Office of the Delaware State Climatologist says if the forecast pans out, Northern Delaware will see new records on Feb. 20 and Feb. 21.

State Climatologist Dan Leathers says the previous record high for Wilmington on Feb. 20 is 66 degrees Fahrenheit, which was recorded in 1971. In 1953, the office recorded a previous record high of 70 degrees Fahrenheit for Feb. 21.

Southern Delaware could break records as well. In Georgetown, the highest temperatures previously recorded were 68 degrees Fahrenheit on Feb. 20, 2002 and 71 degrees on Feb. 21, 2014. On Tuesday, the high will be 72 and on Wednesday, the high will be 75.

Though Tuesday and Wednesday will likely new records, Leathers says this warmer February weather is not unusual. He says the reason for the higher temperatures is the position of the jet stream.

“The next couple of days we’re under a very strong, what we call ‘ridge’ in the jet stream where the jet stream goes far to our north and that allows very warm air to come up from the south,” Leathers said.

The National Weather Service of Mt. Holly, New Jersey also attributes the temperature increase to high pressure that will sit off of the Mid-Atlantic Coast, said meteorologist Michael Silva.

“Because of where the high pressure system is going to be, the southwest flow of wind on the backside will bring warmer air from the Gulf of Mexico into the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast,” Silva said.

The average high temperature in Wilmington recorded Feb. 20 and Feb. 21 is about 45 degrees. Georgetown’s average is about 48.

Leathers says though we’re likely to break some records, winter isn’t quite over.

Temperatures will cool down to the 50s and 40s next week.

Related Content