Record-setting temperatures in the tri-state area Saturday were a prelude to an even warmer Sunday, as a big thaw came to the region.
The first official day of winter was Saturday, but it coincided with a warmup to the low-to-mid 60s. Newark's high of 64 degrees broke the old record of 62 set in 2011, and the high of 62 in Central Park tied the old record set in 1923 and 2011.
Record-high temperatures were recorded in cities throughout the Northeast Saturday, including Philadelphia, where it hit 67 degrees, and Atlantic City, which also reached 67.
The average high in New York City for December 21 is 41.
Sunday will be even warmer, with highs expected in the upper 60s throughout most of the area, and may even approaching 70 in some parts of inland New Jersey.
Forecasters say records set in 1998 are likely to be broken Sunday. The record high for Central Park on Dec. 22 is 63 degrees. At JFK, it's 62, in Newark it's 65 and in Bridgeport, Conn. it's 59.
Temperatures are expected to be around 25 to 30 degrees above average on Sunday.
Both evenings this weekend could see light rain.
Temperatures slip into the 50s on Monday, and then the cold returns on Christmas Eve and Christmas, with highs back in the 30s. No snow is forecast for the holiday.
