Record Highs Turn Frozen Northeast Into Steam Bath

Record-setting temperatures soared as high as the 70s Thursday around the Northeast, spreading spring fever and unleashing an out-of-season blast of thunderstorms.

Declaring an unofficial opening to spring, Boston Mayor Thomas Menino handed out flowers in Copley Square. Law student Jason Howard left behind his books and tossed a Frisbee at Boston Common. “I start getting spring fever about January. Days like this make it worse,” Howard said.

In Worcester, the temperature climbed to 74 degrees, leapfrogging the old record of 60 for the date. It was 34 degrees above the normal high, according to the National Weather Service.

Records were set at 78 degrees in Atlantic City, N.J., and at 73 in both Scranton, Pa., and Rochester, N.Y. Boston was a record 72. Even far-north Burlington, Vt., went to 66--beating the record set when the mercury hit 60 in 1921.

The bubble of warmth formed courtesy of a high-pressure system that carried Pacific air into the Great Plains several days earlier. As it pushed out into the Atlantic Ocean, more warm air spun into this region from the southwest, according to forecaster Kim Lubold at AccuWeather, a private forecasting service in State College, Pa.

Scattered thunderstorms marched eastward across the region, ushering in a chill. Temperatures were expected to drop within two days to seasonable levels.

But winter went on holiday Thursday. The winter-weary broke out T-shirts, golf clubs, in-line skates and jogging shorts. Jackets became accessories slung over forearms. Office workers started on their summer tans during lunch hour.