November Heat Wave In RI? Temperatures Likely Reaching Low-70s

RHODE ISLAND — Good news for anyone fretting winter heating bills: temperatures may warm up enough this weekend that you might feel like turning on the air conditioner.

Current forecasts indicate daytime highs will remain in the mid 60s in southern New England through Friday. But temperatures will start to increase Saturday, leading to highs in the low-70s across Rhode Island all weekend and into Monday.

According to the National Weather Service, a weather system will park itself off the East Coast, allowing warm air to flow through the region.

"This will take southern New England from slightly above normal temperatures on Thursday to well above normal for the weekend. To put it into perspective, normal highs in early November are in the mid to upper 50s," the forecast says.

Temperatures in the 70s are not unprecedented in New England in November. The all-time record for Boston was measured on Nov. 2, 1950, at 83 degrees. On Nov. 15, 1993, the thermometer hit 78 degrees in Boston, according to National Weather Service records dating back to 1872.

We may break another record this weekend when the November-style heat wave peaks on Sunday.

"Given record high temperatures for the dates in the mid to upper 70s, it is conceivable that we could see record warmth this weekend. There are no signals for a precipitation event of any significance through Monday," the weather service said.