A weather pattern partially linked to El Niño has caused unexpected weather to affect most parts of the U.S.
During a week of increased holiday travel, spring-like warmth swept the Northeast, a risk of tornadoes issued into the South and the West is dealing with such a heavy blanket of snow that even ski slopes have been overwhelmed, NBC News reported.
In a reversal of a typical Christmas, forecasters expect New York to be in the mid-60s on the holiday — several degrees higher than Los Angeles.
The mild conditions have helped golf courses in New England do brisk business, but the pattern comes at a steep cost for ski resorts that have closed due to a lack of snow and for backcountry skiers who confront avalanche risks. And many Americans complain that it just doesn't feel like the holidays without a chill in the air.
The weather pattern is also partly caused by man-made global warming, according to NBC News, and a weather pattern called the North Atlantic Oscillation that bottles cold air by the Arctic.
