We have an unusual upper air setup currently over eastern North America with a cutoff low anchored over the Appalachian Mountains with a circling ridge transporting intense Plains heat into northern New England. Quebec and the Maritimes.

Note the ridge circling the cutoff low over Eastern North America.

So, while it’s mid to upper 90s in NORTHERN New England with a threat of monthly or even all-time record heat, it’s only in the 80s from DC to Boston. In fact BOTH Atlanta and New York City have yet to reach 90 this year.

2m temp anomaly for this afternoon.

One contributing factor to enhance the intense heat is the is the lack of rain. Dry ground leads to drier air and drier air makes for warmer temperatures.

The cool pool further south will trigger, showers, storms and somewhat cooler temperatures.

Not often is it Quebec or New Brunswick that sees the warmest air over the entire eastern side of North America but that was the case Thursday with Bathurst, New Brunswick reaching an astonishing 37.2C (99F).

Located on the typically fresher north shore of the St Lawrence River, Sept-Iles, Quebec recorded it’s hottest day in recorded history yesterday when the thermometer touched 36.6C (97.9F) while Îles-de-la-Madeleine and Mont-Joli set new June records according to Patrick Duplessis.

Parts of eastern Canada flirted with 100˚F Thursday, and one northern Maine city could have its hottest day today since the late 1930s. Here's why eastern temperatures are "upside down". https://t.co/uOAMUSKqNj pic.twitter.com/YIOYAazKfC

— The Weather Channel (@weatherchannel) June 19, 2020

RECORD HEAT! 🔥☀️ Caribou Maine set a record high temperature today at 95°. Tomorrow is expected to be even hotter, which may go down as the hottest day in history for Caribou. The previous record is 96°. #MEwx #RecordHeat #summer pic.twitter.com/O0uMSzheAs

— WeatherNation (@WeatherNation) June 18, 2020

The heat was subdued along the typically ‘hotter’ I-95 corridor yesterday.

Quite the sharp thermal gradient.

Broad range of temperatures across Atlantic Canada, from single digits in coastal Labrador (below zero in the Torngats) to mid 30s in #NBwx. #nlwx pic.twitter.com/O6rspfuwrW

— Rodney Barney (@rcbstormpost) June 18, 2020

https://twitter.com/WeatherMatrix/status/1273719465260318720

Some northern Maine towns could push 100F today while it remains in 70s over the interior Mid-Atlantic.

Caribou, Houlton, Millinocket, and Bangor are all going for records today. Caribou has a real shot at breaking its all time hot record of 96, which has occurred twice (once in 1944, once in 1977). Updates to come later on #NCMwx pic.twitter.com/U46PByVmcF

— Mike Slifer (@MikeSliferWX) June 19, 2020

Of course, when you’ve record heat, you’ve usually got snow somewhere else.

https://twitter.com/WeatherMatrix/status/1273355325924683780

Tags: eastern canada heat, maine heat, new england heat