Trick or treating? Several cities on the East Coast could experience record heat on Halloween

This isn't a trick — several East Coast cities could experience their warmest Halloween on record.

Unusually warm air moving east next week could make for a hotter-than-average Halloween in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Raleigh-Durham. The maximum values ​​there are expected to be at least 15 to 20 degrees above average.

For example, New York City is forecast to reach a high of 82 next Thursday; Boston is expected to reach 77° and Philadelphia is expected to reach 82°. These temperatures are more typical of early September than late October. Normal average highs are 59, 57 and 62 respectively.

Areas of the southwestern U.S., including parts of Arizona and Texas, the Gulf Coast and the Deep South are already seeing record warmth for this time of year, with daily high temperatures reaching the upper 80s and even some 90s on Saturday.

On Sunday and Monday, the lower half of the US, stretching from Tucson, Wichita, Dallas, Little Rock to Memphis, could see record highs.

Early next week, parts of the Midwest, including Chicago, Detroit and Indianapolis, could break heat records for this time of year, with highs in the upper 70s and low 80s.

Warmer than normal temperatures are expected from the Midwest to the East through next week. On the other hand, the western states and the Rocky Mountains will experience cooling, with temperatures likely to be at or below normal levels for this time of year.

In addition to the unusual heat, much of the U.S. is unusually dry, and widespread drought conditions have been reported across much of the country. According to the most recent report from the U.S. Drought Monitor, only eight states in the lower 48 states are not currently experiencing moderate or severe drought.

And many states along the East Coast may not see any rain until the end of the month.

It has been nearly a month since Philadelphia last recorded rain, which was about a tenth of an inch on September 28th.

New York City is on track to experience what could be its driest month on record.

So far this month, Central Park has not recorded any measurable rain. If that happens – with no rain currently forecast in New York City for the next five to seven days – it would be the first time since records began in 1869 that Central Park has not recorded any measurable precipitation.

Earlier this month, a series of record-breaking heat waves gripped much of the western United States, with high temperatures of 117 degrees Fahrenheit in Palm Springs and 113 degrees Fahrenheit in Phoenix.