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Scorching October Heatwave Grips Central US as Pacific Ocean Heatwave Rages
2 Oct
Summary
- Temperatures soar 20-30°F above average in Midwest and Great Lakes
- North Pacific Ocean heatwave thousands of miles away is a key driver
- Dozens of temperature records expected to be broken in coming days
As of October 3rd, 2025, a powerful heatwave is sweeping across the central United States, bringing summer-like temperatures well into the 80s and even 90s. The unseasonable warmth is being felt from the Rocky Mountains to the Great Lakes and southern Canada, with temperatures running 20-30 degrees above average in some areas.
Experts say the primary driver behind this extreme October heat is an expansive and record-breaking marine heatwave currently unfolding in the North Pacific Ocean, some 5,000 miles away from the affected regions. This ocean anomaly has disrupted the jet stream, allowing warm and humid air to surge northward into the central states.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, more than 40 temperature records across 15 states could be approached or exceeded over the next several days. The warmth is expected to spread eastward into the Ohio Valley, Appalachians, and Northeast early next week, although the temperature deviations won't be quite as stark as in the Midwest.
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Meteorologists warn that another surge of atypical warmth could reach the central states by late next week, potentially making this October one of the warmest on record across North America.
