From shorts to sweater weather and back again, Indian summer is in full swing in New York City.

The temperature in Central Park soared to 81°F on both Monday and Tuesday this week. On Tuesday, it was just one degree shy of the daily record set back in 1928. We will get another shot at a record on Wednesday if the temperature climbs to 83°F. (The forecast high is 82°F.) Combining these unusually warm readings with dew points in the 60s, it has felt more like August than mid-October in the Big Apple. Our normal high for this time of year is 63°F.

This unseasonable warmth is the result of a dominant Bermuda High, a large area of high pressure situated over the southeastern part of the country. Spinning clockwise, it has been steering warm, moist air from the Gulf of Mexico toward the northeast.

As pleasant as these summer-like temperatures are, they will not last much longer. Conditions that are more seasonable are expected to return by the end of the week.

How a Bermuda High ushers in hot and humid air to the northeastern US. Credit: Jacksonsweather