NYC poised to hit 90 degrees, breaking heat record set in 1977

The Big Apple’s early summer weather is heating up the history books.

New York is poised to hit 90 degrees in Central Park Thursday — potentially shattering a heat record set in the 1970s with weather rarely seen in spring, meteorologists said.

Temperatures are expected to climb higher than the previous record for the day — set in 1977 at 88 degrees — as New Yorkers bust out shorts and sunscreen weeks ahead of schedule, said Fox Weather meteorologist Marissa Lautenbacher.

“You can leave your jacket at home,” said Lautenbacher. “There’s really not a cloud in the sky and it’s likely we’ll get up to that record territory.”

She recommended that New Yorkers take heatwave-like precautions, as the mercury soared roughly 25 degrees above average for the time of year.

“Even though it is April, if you’re going to be outside for an extended period of time, wear that sunscreen,” she said. 

“It will feel nice but if you start to feel fatigued, move inside.”

The unseasonably summery weather is forecast to last through Friday, which will see a sunny high of 86 before temps cool to 64 with scattered showers Saturday.

Temperatures rarely reach the 90s until late May in New York City, so this is “significantly earlier than average,” Lautenbacher said. The city has only reached 90 degrees during the month of April 19 times since record keeping began in 1869.

“We’re getting all this warm air from the south,” she said, adding the conditions pose a wildfire threat.  “It’s warm and windy and dry.”

Much of the East Coast, including parts of New Jersey, Massachusetts, and Connecticut, is also forecast to enjoy clear skies and warm weather through the end of the week