September Likely To Be One Of Warmest On Record

CHICAGO (CBS) -- Despite fall-like temperatures today, September is shaping up to be one of the warmest on record in Chicago and other major cities from the Upper Midwest to the East Coast.

So far in Chicago, there have been only three days in which both the average high and low temperatures were below normal this month. The forecast for Tuesday and Wednesday does call for below normal temperatures.

The month started off with near-record warmth.

From Sept. 1-8, the high each day was in the upper 80s or low 90s.

After brief cooling period, the past two weeks have generally seen above average temps.

Chicago has been nearly five degrees (4.5) above the normal average for the month (65 degrees), according to data from Accuweather.

New York City has been six degrees above normal, along with other major cities, including Detroit (+4.8), Pittsburgh (+5.4), Philadelphia (+4.7) and Boston (+3.7).

Will the warm trend continue?. Generally, yes, but there will be some cold snaps, too.

"With the strong El Nino in place, we are likely to see a continuation of the warmer-than-normal pattern .. from the Midwest to the Northeast," according to Accuweather meteorologist Joe Lundberg.