Like age, warmth is a state of mind.

        Who cares if it's December?

        A high temperature of 70 degrees Wednesday brought out convertible owners and workers in shirtsleeves — and even encouraged the trees to start budding.

        “The weather is pretty unusual,” said Brian Coniglio, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Wilmington.

Silhouetted against the glistening water of the Ohio River, a windsurfer enjoys Wednesday's record high temperature of 70 degrees. (Patrick Reddy photo) | ZOOM |

        The record high for Dec. 5 had been 67, set in 1982. The average normal temperature is 45; the low, 29.

        At Sharon Woods, drivers opened windows and sunroofs as they cruised through the Holiday in Lights Christmas display's 200,000 lights.

        “I'm sure we'll get some convertible people to show up,” said John Spanogians, the park manager. He said attendance is up 7 percent over last year.

        Mr. Coniglio said the good weather comes from a large high-pressure system on the southeast Atlantic coast that's bringing warm air from the south.

        A cold front will arrive from Canada today, he said, dropping highs to the low 60s today and the low 50s Friday. On Saturday, he said, highs will fall to about 40.

        “But the cold weather won't last too long,” Mr. Coniglio said. “By Tuesday, the highs will be in the lower 50s.”

        That's good news for Arnold Rosenberg, project manager for the Great American Ballpark in Cincinnati.

        “I'm hoping for the warmest winter on record,” he said. “The warm weather certainly has created a situation where the efficiency of the work has improved. But the program was conceived to go year-round. The contractors are ready for cold weather.”

        Colder weather is needed to put people in the holiday spirit, said Susan Johnson, 24, a Dayton resident who went shopping Wednesday at the Towne Mall in Middletown.

        “Colder weather and maybe a little snow would be nice during the week of Christmas,” she said.

        The warm weather is great, Greg Meyer acknowleges, but it could harm trees if it lasts too long.

        “This weather is not normal for December,” said Mr. Meyer, a Warren County agricultural extension agent. “The big problem — and we won't know the extent of it until next year — is that some trees might get confused and start to rebud or leaf out, which means the leaves and buds will most likely get frozen and killed over the winter.” The most likely result is that the affected trees may be thinner next year, he said.

        At Perfect North Slopes in Dearborn County, Ind., owners are anxiously watching the forecasts. They can't start making snow for their slopes until the temperature reaches 28 degrees.

        “We keep hearing there's an Arctic wind coming soon,” Denise Keller of Perfect North said with a laugh.

        A message on Perfect North's Web site sums it up: “Pray for cold weather.”
       

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