The main purpose of this ongoing blog will be to track planetary extreme, or record temperatures related to climate change. Any reports I see of ETs will be listed below the main topic of the day. I’ll refer to extreme or record temperatures as ETs (not extraterrestrials).😜
Main Topic: Second U.S. Heatwave For 2026 Strikes the Southeast
Dear Diary. We may not see this heatwave get a name if there are no widespread National Weather Service heat warnings and advisories, but yet another early spring heat episode will produce hundreds of records and worsen a drought this week already affecting the southeastern U.S.
I wrote this in response to what Dr. Marshall Shepard wrote on Facebook:
Some of my friends know that while at TWC I was very much interested in studying heatwaves and associated drought. All kidding aside from back then, the understanding of these two devastating phenomena via science needed attention because of the climate crisis. Unfortunately, we are seeing both drought and a heatwave plague us early in 2026 in Georgia and across the South.
From Dr. Marshall Shepherd, TV Personality, Professor, Author April 10 at 6:58 AM:
Georgia folks…get ready, starting this weekend, for some prolonged heat. In fact, very concerned about this heatwave and worsening drought. I don’t see any signs of significant rain for the foreseeable future (as in weeks).
Next week we likely will see our 1st 90 degree temperatures of the year. It’s April y’all. First 90 degree temperatures are usually in June. The record for earliest 90 degree temperature in Atlanta is April 23. I think we may shatter that.
If drought persists, that impacts agriculture so get ready for higher food and clothing prices to go along with those gas and other higher prices.
The heat dome in association with this heatwave will have its first peak on Wednesday:
Here are more details from The Weather Channel (For a good video included in the article that I did not repost, hit the following link.):
Record Heat To Impact East, Including Atlanta, Philadelphia | Weather.com
Taste Of Summer For Millions As Record Heat Builds In East, Including Atlanta, Philadelphia, Washington
Heat will build across much of the East in the week ahead, putting dozens of daily records in jeopardy from the Southeast to the Northeast and Ohio Valley. See how high the temperatures will go and when there could be some relief.
Sunday 4/12/2026
Record heat is forecast for the mid-Atlantic and Southeast in the week ahead, with summerlike temperatures soaring into the 80s and even 90s in places like Washington and Atlanta by mid-week.
This surge of summerlike heat will build day by day, putting dozens of daily record highs in jeopardy.
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
Although not record territory, much warmer than average temperatures will impact the Plains and Midwest through the weekend.
Highs will be in the 80s as far north as Minnesota and South Dakota. So just because we aren’t shattering records across the country’s mid-section, doesn’t mean you won’t be warm.
This warm air mass will continue eastward during the early part of the week ahead, peaking by mid-week 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, Washington, Baltimore and Philadelphia.
Much of the Southeast will climb 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 Thursday.
This includes places like Chattanooga, Nashville, Atlanta, Augusta and Charlotte.
The Northeast Will Sizzle Too
The heat arrives in the Northeast by Monday and continues to build each day.
New York City goes from highs in the mid-50s on Sunday, to highs in the mid-70s on Monday, then well into the 80s by Tuesday.
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.
Atlanta is exepcted 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.
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.
Here are some “ETs” recorded from around the U.S. the last couple of days, their consequences, and some extreme temperature outlooks, as well as any extreme precipitation reports:
Here is More Climate News from Sunday:
(As usual, this will be a fluid post in which more information gets added during the day as it crosses my radar, crediting all who have put it on-line. Items will be archived on this site for posterity. In most instances click on the pictures of each tweet to see each article. The most noteworthy items will be listed first.)