Maryland sees second day of record-breaking heat as lower temps are coming

For the second day in a row, the Baltimore region experienced record-breaking temperatures as a heat wave settled over much of the Eastern United States, National Weather Service officials said.

The record high for April 16 in Baltimore was 90 degrees, set in 2002 and again in 2012. Now it’s 91 degrees, a record set Thursday.

Springtime has seen stubborn high pressure that has been largely undisturbed due to a lack of rain, said Samantha Timmers, a meteorologist for the weather service’s Baltimore-Washington office.

“And when that happens it just gets warmer and warmer,” she said.

The Baltimore area broke an 85-year-old record Wednesday as the temperature reached 91 degrees. It was the highest recorded on April 15 since 1941.

Some places got even hotter, with the Inner Harbor area seeing up to 93 degrees, breaking a record set two years ago, according to the NWS.

There will be a weak cold front Thursday night, making for temperatures in the low 80s on Friday, according to Kyle Pallozzi, a meteorologist for the NWS.

A stronger cold front is coming Saturday, Pallozzi said. That one will drive temperatures down to the low 60s on Sunday and 50s on Monday.

Elevated risk of wildfires

The weather service warned about critical fire conditions across parts of Maryland due to dry air and wind gusts of 20-25 mph.

A red-flag warning was issued for parts of Western Maryland along the Interstate 81 corridor. The NWS issues a red-flag warning when conditions combine to produce an increased risk of fire danger.

Spring is wildfire season in Maryland, according to the state’s Department of Natural Resources. Forest fuels are the driest during spring, Chris Robertson, Maryland Forest Service state fire supervisor, said in a news release.

The leading causes of wildfires in Maryland are debris burning and outdoor burning, according to DNR.

People should be cautious while disposing of cigarette butts, matches and other flammable items. Dry grasses, dead leaves and other tree litter could ignite and spread fire, according to the weather service.

The best way to dispose of outdoor debris is composting or mulching yard waste, according to the DNR. Outdoor burning should only be done on low fire days, and people should use larger brush or trees to produce firewood.