Those of you who enjoy the warmth of summer were certainly appreciative of every aspect that Mother Nature had produced over the last several days. A premature "heat wave" struck the Mount Washington Valley region with vengeance on Tuesday and Wednesday. The conditions added to the already above normal temperature stretch that occurred before, as well as after the taste of summer. Not only was it hot, but two maximum high temperature records were broken as well.
On Tuesday, April 16th, the temperature rose into the low 80s for several hours during the afternoon. Shortly after five o' clock, the temperature peaked at 86 degrees. This reading broke the previous record of 74 degrees that was set in 1994. On Wednesday, April 17th, the temperature soared into the mid 80s by mid-morning. After one o' clock, the high temperature reached 91 degrees, destroying the previous record of 80 degrees, set in 1976. Not only did April 17th create a record high, but it also produced a new record for being the earliest date to record a 90-degree temperature. In Fryeburg, Maine, the closest National Weather Service recording station for North Conway, the temperature reached 93 degrees, giving the station a new, all-time record high for April.
You may wonder why the record warmth occurred on April 16th and 17th. The answer is as simple as two words: Downslope Winds. If you think that you have heard the phrase before, it is because you probably have! The Downslope Effect is one of the most common phenomenons that take place in the North Conway area. If you liked the hot weather that occurred, thank the magnificent symbols towards the north, which is the Presidential Mountains and its parent range, the Appalachian Mountains. A high-pressure system was positioned near Bermuda, which was a perfect set up for the hot weather. Westerly winds blew and traveled down the eastern slope of the Appalachian Mountains. As the air sunk towards the coastline, it compressed and warmed. This extra warming gave the area the added touch to heat up quickly.
Another question that is on the mind of all is whether this past week, and certainly this past winter, is a preview of the coming summer. Nearly seventy-five percent of the summers that have followed a mild and dry winter have averaged above normal. However, if the new El Nino decides to visit the world sooner then expected, it would certainly bring a damper to the historical analysis. All odds are for an average to above average summer for temperature readings. However, even a historical analysis can never truly tell the future.