Image (click to enlarge): Surface temperature at 11 pm EST, December 21, 2011, from UnisysSoutherly winds ahead of a strong storm system have broken daily temperature records from Virginia to New York this evening. At Kennedy Airport, New York the previous record high for December 21 was 56° in 1973, but the 11 pm temperature is 57°, where it has been for the last 2 hours. Other preliminary records set or tied (previous records in parentheses) include:
LaGuardia NY 61° (59°, 1993 and 1973)
Atlantic City NJ 63° (62°, 1923)
Reading PA 61° (tie, 1923)
Washington Dulles VA 61° (60°, 1998 and 1971)
Baltimore/BWI MD 63° (61°, 1956 and 1885)
Earlier this evening, the temperature at Central Park, New York, where records began in 1869, reached at least 61°, but the record high there was 62° in 1923.