A reinforcing cold front has triggered a freeze watch in the Lehigh Valley from Thursday evening through Friday morning, bringing our coldest overnight temperatures since mid-April.
Days of temperatures in the mid to lower 80s will be wiped out by a cold front later this week, forecasters say, ending a bonus stretch of warmth and finally ushering in classic fall weather in the Lehigh Valley.
The Allentown area recorded 1.88 inches of rain on Thursday, the weather service said, besting the old record of 1.86 inches from Sept. 4, 1988.
The National Weather Service said Friday that much of the Lehigh Valley and surrounding area has experienced its coldest August in about 10 years.
Experts say the Atlantic Ocean has heated up over the past month as peak hurricane season approaches. While warmer-than-average water doesn't guarantee storms, it can contribute to more moisture-laden and stronger systems. Plus, there are other factors at play.