Record breaking warmth Christmas Eve

Stephen Malloney, a pediatrician from Myrtle Beach, S.C., visiting his family for the holidays, plays golf during an unusually warm winter day Thursday, Dec. 24, 2015, in Warwick, R.I.

Many may feel like they are having Christmas in Florida with record temperatures all the way up the East Coast.

In Warwick, Rhode Island, Stephen Malloney took advantage of the warm weather – the temperature hit a record of at least 65 in Providence – by playing a round of golf. Severe storms are expected by Sunday, with tornadoes and strong winds a possibility in parts of southeast Texas. Someone’s bound to recall the blizzard of 2009, when there was snow on the ground – and plenty of it – on Christmas, but on the day itself the snow melted and rain fell.

In Phoenix, Arizona, it’s only 64 degrees – chilly for a state that boasts year-round sun and warm weather.

CARLO ALLEGRI/REUTERS A man skates in shorts and a T-shirt at the skating rink in Bryant Park during unseasonably warm weather on Christmas Eve. The previous high temperature was 58 degrees, set back in 1982.

The high temperature of 15.4 C in Toronto just missed the 1964 record by three degrees to be the warmest day in the city since 1840, i.e. the time since meteorologists started tracking temperatures downtown. Temperatures are starting out in the high 30’s to low 40’s in the valley, and in the mid 20’s to mid 30’s in the mountains.

New York City has broken its record for the warmest Christmas.

By day’s end, five NY area locations – including Central Park at 66 degrees, plus LaGuardia and Kennedy airports – had set records.

“This combination of rain, snow and wind will make for potentially hazardous conditions for holiday travel”, the outlook said.

Northerners accustomed to cozying up to a roaring Yuletide fire in a bulky sweater with a mug of hot chocolate may have to open the windows come Christmas.

“In order for cold air from the poles to get down to our area you need the vortex to be disrupted”.

“Especially after a year ago, it was a little tough, and this is a little insane”, said Marvin Ceglio of Great Kills who was taking a morning walk in Gateway National Recreation Area.