This isn’t a trick: Several East Coast cities could experience their hottest Halloween ever.

Unseasonably warm air moving east next week could make for a hotter-than-average Halloween in New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Raleigh-Durham. Highs in these locations are forecast to be at least 15 to 20 degrees above average.

For example, New York City is forecast to reach a high of 82 next Thursday; Boston is expected to reach 77 and Philadelphia 82. These temperatures are more typical of early September than late October. Normal average highs are 59, 57 and 62 respectively.

Areas of the southwestern U.S., including parts of Arizona and Texas, the Gulf Coast and the Deep South, are already seeing record warmth for this time of year, with daytime highs reaching the upper 80s and even some 90s on Saturday.

On Sunday and Monday, the lower half of the US, which stretches from Tucson, Wichita, Dallas, Little Rock to Memphis, could reach record highs.

Early next week, parts of the Midwest, including Chicago, Detroit and Indianapolis, could break heat records for this time of year, with high temperatures in the upper 70s and low 80s.

Warmer than normal temperatures are expected through next week in the Midwest and as far east as possible. On the other hand, western states and the Rockies will see a cooling, with temperatures likely to be at or below normal for this time of year.

Along with the unusual warmth, much of the US is abnormally dry, with widespread drought reported across much of the country. According to the latest report from the US Drought Monitor, only eight states in the lower 48 are not currently experiencing moderate or more severe drought conditions.

And many states along the East Coast may not see any rain until the end of the month.

It’s been almost a month since Philadelphia last saw recorded rainfall, which was about a tenth of an inch on September 28.

New York City is on track to experience possibly its driest month on record.

So far this month, Central Park has not recorded any measurable rain. If this holds true – as no rain is currently forecast in New York City over the next five to seven days – it would be the first time since records began in 1869 that Central Park has not recorded any measurable rainfall.

Earlier this month, a series of record-breaking heat waves blanketed much of the western US, with highs reaching 117 degrees Fahrenheit in Palm Springs and 113 degrees in Phoenix.