In this crazy month of record-breaking weather, even more records have been broken across New Jersey as December comes to a close.
Cue up the sound effects of shattering glass.
In this crazy month of record-breaking weather, even more records have been broken across New Jersey as December comes to a close.
Most significantly, December 2015 will go down in history as the warmest December ever in the Garden State, with a statewide average temperature of 47.4 degrees, according to New Jersey State Climatologist David Robinson at Rutgers University.
This shatters the old record by a whopping 5.2 degrees, Robinson said. The old record was 42.2 degrees, set in 2006.
Even more stunning is another statistic, the state climatologist said. The normal monthly average temperature (the mean between the average high and the average low) for New Jersey in December is 35.6 degrees, which means this month's average was 11.8 degrees warmer than the normal average.
Turns out that departure -- the difference between the normal and the actual average -- "is the largest of any monthly departure recorded" in the state, Robinson noted. The previous departure record was 11.0 degrees, set in January 1932.
PLUS: Is the polar vortex responsible for our warm December?
New records set in Newark and NYC
Newark set a record for having the most 60-degree days throughout the month of December, the National Weather Service said Thursday. The city had 12 days in which the mercury climbed to 60 or higher, breaking the old record of eight days, set in 1982 and again in 1998.
Across the river, New York City broke its record for the most 60-degree days throughout December.
The city had 11 days where the temperature reached 60 or higher, breaking the old record of eight days set in 1998, at the Central Park weather monitoring station and also at the LaGuardia Airport station.
At the JFK Airport weather station, the temperature reached 60 or higher 10 days in December, breaking the old record of eight days, also set in 1998.
More fun weather facts
Robinson said New Jersey's average temperature in December was close to the normal average in places far south of us, like Jackson, Mississippi and Macon, Georgia. So, it was almost as warm in Jackson, N.J., as it normally is in Jackson, Miss.
Another look at December warmth - all 6 climate sites set new records for the total number of 60 degree days in Dec! pic.twitter.com/5Et1L6eNde
-- NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) December 31, 2015
Summary of daily record high temperatures for December 2015. https://t.co/ka2HFv1cF3 pic.twitter.com/N1alg3SzPA
-- NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) December 31, 2015
Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality. Find NJ.com on Facebook.