This Could Be a Year Without Christmas For the East Coast

Nearly relentless warmth since early November has created a meteorological Groundhog Day, trapping the East Coast in perpetual fall. Factoring in September and October, the U.S. also had its hottest autumn on record. Two climate patterns are helping steer mild air into the region. El Niño and the North Atlantic Oscillation are both keeping the jet stream further north than usual. That’s prevented colder, polar air from dropping into the region and set up an exceptional stretch of weather. Climate change has also contributed to rising winter temperatures making it easier for stretches like this to occur...Daily record highs have been killing record lows. Over the past seven days, 2,139 daily high temperature records have been set while only six (yes, six) daily low records have been set. That’s a ratio of 356:1 in case you’re counting.