Unseasonably warm temperatures the past few days have set records across New Hampshire and Maine, according to the National Weather Service.
Manchester saw record daily highs on Saturday and Sunday – getting close to 80 degrees. Concord also saw a record daily high on Sunday. Previous records were in the low 70s and 60s.
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Portland, Maine set records on Friday and Saturday. That city’s past high record for Saturday was almost 10 degrees lower, set in 2015.
New Hampshire is also below average for the season so far on “heating degree days," which measure when temperatures are cold enough to merit indoor heating.
The state has been about 4 degrees warmer than average so far this month. That's about how much the state has warmed overall since the late 1800s – a reflection of climate change, as fossil fuel emissions trap heat in the atmosphere.
Globally, 2020 is still on track to be the second-warmest year on record after 2016.
This story is part of By Degrees, NHPR's climate change reporting initiative. Click here to see more stories and share your ideas for future coverage.
