November begins next week, but you certainly wouldn't know that by the weather. Much of the U.S. has seen warmer-than-average temperatures throughout October, and forecasters say the trend is going to continue.
The National Weather Service says unseasonably pleasant weather will last through the end of the week for most of the country with high pressure keeping mainly sunny skies in place. Meantime, the Central and Southern
U.S. will continue to see well above-average temperatures with the potential for additional record highs.
"States from New Mexico to Georgia are forecast to surpass record high temperatures, particularly on Thursday across the southern Plains as multiple locations may see higher temperatures in the low 90s," the NWS said. "For context, much of this area will be 15-20 degrees warmer than average for late October."
A multiple-day warmup is also likely to follow early next week for most of the country, AccuWeather reported.
So, why is summer just refusing to let go? AccuWeather meteorologist Tom Kines told USA Today that the ongoing warmth is due to the unusually far north position of the jet stream.
This week, the jet stream has been in a "zonal flow," when the air flow is nearly parallel to latitude lines, flowing mostly flat from west to east, according to Weather Underground.
The northern position and zonal flow of the jet stream has essentially shut off any chilly air coming down from Canada, allowing unseasonably warm temperatures to hang around. It's also prevented moisture from the Gulf of Mexico from rising and turning into precipitation. There's been such little rain this month that many cities across the country are tracking for their driest October on record.
Next week, however, some regions will see a change in the weather as the jet stream plunges southward across western states and upward over the Midwest and Northeast in a wavy "amplified flow." The transition will lead to colder than average temperatures in the West, while the Midwest, Northeast and South will see another round of above-average temperatures.
The weather pattern change could also lead to heavy rain and thunderstorms through the Central U.S.
Forecasters are expecting cold fronts to swing through by mid-week, bringing temperatures back near normal, or just above, for most of the country.