The weather is so balmy up and down the East Coast that weather forecasters are comparing Christmas Eve’s forecasted temperatures with those on the 4th of July.
The warm temperatures have shattered records in many cities by large margins. Across the United States, 25 states are expected to see record highs, according to The Weather Channel. Already, cities including New York, Washington, D.C., Atlanta, and Philadelphia have set record highs for the day.
In New York City, the forecasted high of 76 degrees for Christmas Eve beats the observed high of 75 degrees on the 4th of July. The previous record for Christmas Eve in New York was a mere 63 degrees. And in Philly, temperatures are expected to hit the mid-seventies, threatening to set a record high for the month. During the 4th of July, the low was 69 degrees.
The warm weather isn’t a boon for retail stores, even though a harsh winter was widely blamed for poor sales last year. In the final weekend before Christmas, sales at physical stores actually fell from previous years as more buyers shopped online.