EnvironmentHalloween Extreme Weatherdrought

Halloween's Over, But Record-Breaking Heat Horror Continues

Trick-or-treating was a steamier-than-usual affair for millions of Americans this Halloween. Forecasters say the heatwave will not let up this week.
Dominique Mosbergen
By 

Senior Reporter, HuffPost

Revelers take part in a Halloween parade in Manhattan, New York on Oct. 31. High temperatures smashed records in several American cities this Halloween.
Revelers take part in a Halloween parade in Manhattan, New York on Oct. 31. High temperatures smashed records in several American cities this Halloween.
Andrew Kelly/Reuters

For millions of Americans, Halloween wasn’t the only horror in store this week: Blistering, unrelenting heat was certainly no treat.

Several cities across the country saw record-high Halloween temperatures on Monday. Among them: New Orleans, Louisiana, (89 degrees), Dodge City, Kansas, (90 degrees), Asheville, North Carolina, (81 degrees), Hunstville, Alabama, (88 degrees), Tallahassee, Florida, (90 degrees), Fort Smith, Arkansas, (89 degrees) and Colorado Springs, Colorado, (80 degrees).

Atlanta, Georgia, also set a new heat record at 86 degrees, a temperature nearly 20 degrees above average, WTVM.com reports. It was the latest day in the year that the city has ever been that warm.

“These temperatures are more like Labor Day than Halloween,” Atlanta meteorologist Brian Monahan said over the weekend, reporting on wildfires consuming parts of Georgia because of the scorching heat.

Atlanta’s 86-degree Monday marked the 12th time this year the city has either broken or tied a high temperature record, reported WTVM.com.

NOAA

Forecasters have warned that the first few days of November will not bring respite to sweltering states.

On Tuesday, more heat records were broken as all-time November record highs were set in Austin, Texas (91 degrees), Birmingham, Alabama (88 degrees), Nashville, Tennessee (88 degrees), and Louisville, Kentucky (85 degrees), among several other cities.

Weather.com said record-high temperatures can be expected in parts of the Southeast, Midwest and Great Plains at least through Friday, with daily highs of up to 20 degrees above average. Even parts of New England will see temperatures in the 70s this week, very unusual for this time of year.

For the Southeast, where a crippling drought has already dried up rivers and devastated agriculture, the continuing dry and hot weather is expected to further exacerbate drought conditions.

“The abnormal warmth contributes to more moisture evaporating out of the soil. When the moisture does not get replenished, it’s like a vicious cycle,” AccuWeather meteorologist Mike Doll said this week.

In this Oct. 26 photo, an abandoned boat sits in the remains of a dried out pond in Dawson, Alabama. At least 98 percent of the state is currently enduring drought conditions.
In this Oct. 26 photo, an abandoned boat sits in the remains of a dried out pond in Dawson, Alabama. At least 98 percent of the state is currently enduring drought conditions.
Associated Press
Alabama farmer David Bailey feeds his cows hay and sits in the middle of a dirt pile on Oct. 26. Bailey has had to sell off half of his cattle herd, more than 100 animals, because he doesn't have enough hay to feed them through the winter.
Alabama farmer David Bailey feeds his cows hay and sits in the middle of a dirt pile on Oct. 26. Bailey has had to sell off half of his cattle herd, more than 100 animals, because he doesn't have enough hay to feed them through the winter.
Associated press
Water bodies across Alabama have dried up due to drought. Lake Purdy in Birmingham, Alabama, pictured here on Oct. 11, has receded several feet, leaving dry, cracked ground where lake water used to be.
Water bodies across Alabama have dried up due to drought. Lake Purdy in Birmingham, Alabama, pictured here on Oct. 11, has receded several feet, leaving dry, cracked ground where lake water used to be.
Associated Press

Globally, 2016 is on track to be the hottest year on record.

In October, NASA said 11 of the past 12 months had set new global high-temperature records.

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