Weather: Near-record temps expected

Enjoy it while it lasts.

A potentially record-breaking swath of warm weather has settled across the Lower Hudson Valley and is expected to linger through Wednesday, according to AccuWeather.com.

"Now that we're past the first frost of the season, any warm spells are appreciated," said Evan Duffy, an AccuWeather meteorologist.

Tuesday will be sunny with a high of 81 and a low of 61.

"On Wednesday, it won't be quite as nice. There will be a few more clouds, but it'll still be warm," he said. Temperatures could reach 80 and bottom out at around 57, he said.

For mid-October, the average high temperature in White Plains is around 60, with lows in the mid 40s.

A large section of the country, from the southern Plains to the Ohio Valley and into the Northeast and mid-Atlantic, will see temperatures 10 to 20 degrees above average over the next few days. In some places, records will be broken.

A high-pressure system off the East Coast that is causing the record warmth will be pushed out of the way by a cold front by week's end.

Within the Lower Hudson Valley, temperatures are expected to drop back down to the high 60s by Thursday and Friday, with a passing shower, though Duffy doesn't believe they'll be "downpours or day-ruiners."

The weekend is forecast to be mostly sunny. Saturday will see temperatures reach around 60 and Sunday's will be in the mid-50s.

"After this weekend, I think we'll be closer to normal and, for those planning outdoor activities like visiting corn mazes or pumpkin picking, it'll feel more like fall," Duffy said.

He said meteorologists aren't ruling out other spurts of warm weather before the year ends.

"I don't think this is the last of the unseasonable warmth, but it's our last good shot of getting into the 80s. There could be a few in November and as we go into December," he said.

He cautioned that long-term forecasts show January "being bitterly cold at times."

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