Publication Date December 24, 2015 | Mashable

The warmest Christmas Eve the East Coast has ever seen is shattering records

United States
Temperature anomalies in degrees Celsius for Dec. 24, 2015, showing the large area of unusually mild weather across the U.S. and Canada. Image: Climate Reanalyzer
Temperature anomalies in degrees Celsius for Dec. 24, 2015, showing the large area of unusually mild weather across the U.S. and Canada. Image: Climate Reanalyzer

The world's hottest year is ending in the most fitting manner possible: with one of the most significant heat waves on record for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. The heat extends more than 1,500 miles, from South Florida northward to eastern Canada, and is being described on social media — in non-technical terminology — as a "blowtorch" weather pattern...

As of Thursday afternoon, at least one all-time December high temperature record had been broken, with a high of 68 degrees Fahrenheit (so far) in Burlington, Vermont. In addition, at least two dozen daily record high temperatures had already been broken, including in New York City, which hit 71 degrees Fahrenheit.