Springtime heat melting the Big Apple is poised to break a nearly 80-year record this week, and New Yorkers are basking in sunshine before cooler weather returns.
Temps are expected to hit 88 degrees Wednesday — which would be the hottest April 15 New York City has seen since 1941, when the day clocked in at 87 degrees, according to AccuWeather.
Wednesday is expected to be the hottest day of the week, after Tuesday’s heat took hold, with an 86-degree afternoon.
Thursday should also clock in at around 86 degrees and the warm weather is expected to stick around until Friday with a high of 79, forecasts show.
New Yorkers hit the streets in shorts on Tuesday to enjoy the warm weather taking hold across the city. Paul Martinka for NY Post New Yorkers flocked outside Wednesday to bask in the rays following a brutal winter and a recent stretch of cold weather.
“The weather is great. It’s so good to walk around and not have a coat and a hat and scarf,” said 47-year-old Claudia, a union rep from New Jersey. “I have no complaints. No complaints. I like the winter too, but we had a rough winter this year, so I want to embrace the summer.”
The weather had New Yorkers frolicking without jackets, stretching out on benches in shorts and short-sleeves, and flowers in full bloom across parks.
“It’s a really drastic shift. Honestly, I’m just happy that the sun’s out,” said 19-year-old student Jonathan Yenezkel. “No complaints, no complaints.”
“It’s amazing, amazing. I hope it stays like this,” he added.
Flowers were in full bloom on Tuesday as the weather neared 90-degree temperatures in New York City. Paul Martinka for NY Post But those hopes won’t come true — temps will slide into the 60s over the weekend, and by early next week will be in the 40s and 50s as a cold front rolls in.
“It’s a significant front, because here we are talking about temperatures close to 90. And then we could see highs maybe struggling to get into the 50s in some places,” AccuWeather meteorologist Paul Pastelok told The Post, referring to both the city greater metro area’s forecasts.
“So, a complete turnaround behind that cold front that does arrive,” he said.
The current heat wave is being driven by stormy weather across the American west, Pastelok explained, which is causing high pressure to ripple across the country and keep cold air from cooling the warmth.
“Some of the temperatures that we’re going to see are more equivalent to what we’ve typically seen, like June, late May,” Pastelok said.
New Yorkers can also expect a milder June, he predicted, and a wetter summer that becomes hot and humid by August.
