Boston Hits Record High Temperature, Weeks After Record Low: NWS

BOSTON, MA — Boston hit a record high temperature of 61° F Thursday morning, breaking the previous Feb. 16 record of 60° F set back in 1910, the National Weather Service announced in a tweet.

A continuing west wind means that temperatures are expected to rise even higher as the day wears on, the agency added.

The balmy temperatures have even forced the closure of Jamaica Plain's Kelly Outdoor Skating Rink, the Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation announced Thursday morning.

Boston has faced a rollercoaster of temperature swings over just over two weeks. On Feb. 4, the city recorded a low of -10° F, which breaks the -2° F record low for the day set in 1886. It was also Boston's overall lowest and only double-digit negative temperature since -12° F in 1957, according to the NWS.

The coldest temperature ever recorded in Boston was -18° F on Feb. 9, 1934, the agency said.

Rain showers are expected in Boston Thursday evening and Friday before a cold front will arrive Friday afternoon, according to the NWS. By Saturday, temperatures in the city will be closer to those expected for February, with highs of 38° F Saturday and 48° F Sunday and lows in the 30s.

Despite the temperature fluctuations, the general consensus seems to be that Boston has had a mild winter — which GBH meteorologist Dave Epstein told Morning Edition in early January will become more typical as time passes.

“The weather's definitely been warmer than average, there's no question,” Epstein told the outlet.

Acknowledging that it was the coldest Dec. 24 since 1983, Epstein said “Some people say, well, you know, it was so cold on Christmas Eve, why don't you guys talk about that? But the theme here is that as the climate continues to change, months like this, weeks like this, will continue to just be more the norm, more what we will see.”