Spring-like temperatures expected this weekend

Eastern North Carolina could reach record-high temperatures this weekend.

Kinston is expected to hit the mid-70s today and Saturday.

Robert Frederick, meteorologist for the National Weather Service in Newport, said the jet stream is running southwest to northeast this winter which means most of the cold air is trapped in the Rocky Mountain and Canada areas.

"There is no way for the cold air to get down here right now," he said. "The jet stream needs to run north and northwest for arctic air."

Frederick said the average for this time of year is a high of 55 and a low of 34.

"We're going to be about 20 degrees above average," he said.

Farmers shouldn't worry about the warm weather.

Walter Adams, agriculture and natural resources technician for the Lenoir County Cooperative Extension Service, said the weather needs to be in the mid-70s for several days before they worry about crops budding early.

"It's still been unseasonably warm," he said. "But we'll have to wait and see what happens in late March."

Frederick said it's not unusual for high temperatures this time of year.

"Warm weather comes in stages like this," he said. "It will take decades of changes for global warming."