After a long cold winter and a chilly start to spring, it suddenly felt like summer in New York City this week.

According to the NWS, the temperature in Central Park hit 90°F on Wednesday. That marked the city’s first 90°F reading of the year and tied the daily record set in 2001. The sultry conditions continued on Thursday as the temperature climbed to 92°F, setting a new record high for the date. The previous record of 90°F had been in place since 2001.

Thursday’s low of 70°F was another record breaker, surpassing the old record of 68°F from 2001. In fact, this low reading was warmer than the date’s normal high. The city’s average high and low temperatures for this time of year are 67°F and 50°F, respectively.

These dramatic temperatures are the result of a Bermuda High, a large area of high pressure situated off the mid-Atlantic coast. Spinning clockwise, it has created a warm southwesterly flow of air into the northeast.

This summer-like weather brought many New Yorkers out of hibernation and into the city’s numerous parks and outdoor cafes. However, for some, the heat comes with a cost. It can lead to the formation of ground-level ozone, which is why an air quality advisory was issued for the area. Anyone with respiratory concerns, like asthma, has been advised to stay indoors.

While these temperatures are unseasonable, the city has seen 90° readings arrive even earlier. The earliest, according to NWS records, was April 7, 2010, when the mercury climbed to 92°F.

If you are not quite ready for summer, fear not. Conditions more typical of May are expected to return this weekend.

A week of weather whiplash for NYC. Credit: The Weather Gamut