PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The calendar says Christmas Eve, but the weather in the Northeast says spring.
Record-shattering temperatures in the 60s and 70s have settled over the region, making a mockery of such Yuletide traditions as bulky sweaters, hot chocolate and a roaring fire. And Christmas Day promises to be balmy, too.
Some people are trading gloves and scarves for shorts and T-shirts and going golfing and jogging instead of skiing. Some plan to grill steaks in the backyard instead of putting a Christmas ham in the oven.
The blame — or the credit, depending on how you feel about the weather — belongs to El Nino, the ocean warming trend. Forecasters say it is driving warm air eastward and keeping cold arctic air at bay.
