April flirts with record as June is about to supplant gloom

Earlier in the week it appeared that the temperature might make a run at 90 on Sunday, but that's off the table since one of those backward fronts is due to draw in some cool maritime air by the end of the weekend.

Nevertheless, despite that prospect and four consecutive days of below-normal temperatures, this month should become the second-warmest April in Philadelphia in official records dating to 1874, and is in the running for taking down the champ.

Should that happen, this would be the second month of the year to set a warmth record — that, of course, would be half the months of 2017 so far. You can read more here.

The April record holder is 59.4, set in 1994 after one of the iciest and wildest winters on record, and the last one to host a below-zero reading in Philadelphia.

Based on the National Weather Service forecast, the projected April temperature would be 59.2 for a month in which 17 of the first 26 days had above-normal temperatures.

That's assuming that the "back door" front — a renegade feature that defies convention by moving northeast to southwest, rather than vice versa — pushes through on Sunday.

In the meantime, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday promise a serious taste of June.

The forecast high for Thursday, in the upper 70s, would be normal for the first week in June. By Saturday, the temperatures are expected to be summer-solstice like.

It promises to be a splendid few days, although not necessarily for allergy sufferers.

Tree and grass pollen also love that kind of weather, and in years past this period has coincided with their peak seasons.