After the warmest January in NYC to date, it appears that those unseasonably higher temperatures are following us well into February.
Today’s temperatures (Thursday, Feb. 16) are climbing into the 60s, setting a record high temperature of 63°F in JFK, according to the National Weather Service. This is 2°F higher than the previous recorded high for this day, which reached 61°F in 1976.
And arguably even more crazy than that is the fact that this morning’s temperatures surpassed those in LA, Phoenix, and Atlanta!
According to WABC-TV Chief Meteorologist Lee Goldberg, while NYC was thinking it was spring with its recorded 62°F this morning, temperatures were actually lower in states known for being warmer across the U.S.
LA’s temperature this morning was 18°F lower than in NYC, clocking in at 44°F, while Phoenix saw 36°F temps and Atlanta saw 57°F temps.
And NYC’s temperature climb isn’t stopping there.
According to AccuWeather, NYC will reach a high of 66°F today by 2p.m., which will remain the temperature until 5p.m. before the cloudy skies open up and give way to rain.
AccuWeather is even predicting thunderstorms for tomorrow, Friday, February 17, which is a rare occurrence in winter as strong updrafts cannot form due to colder surface temperatures.
And considering temperatures for today’s date are normally somewhere between 31°F to 40°F, according to Weather Spark, and NYC recently broke its 50-year-old record for the latest measurable snowfall, we have a feeling we can kiss any hopes of NYC’s annual snowball fight goodbye.
Looks like Punxsutawney Phil should have listened to Staten Island Chuck when the absence of his shadow predicted a near spring!