Summer-like Christmas temps expected to break records

With Atlanta’s soggy and record-warm weather this week, a Jet Ski might be a better choice than a sleigh when Santa makes his Christmas Eve rounds.

The temperature at Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport at 6 a.m. Thursday was a summer-like 71 degrees, or a whopping 36 degrees above the normal low for Dec. 24.

In fact, that predawn reading was warmer than the low on 13 days this past June, seven days in July and nine days in August.

Afternoon highs are expected to break records for Christmas Eve and again Christmas Day, Channel 2 meteorologist Karen Minton said.

The record high for both days is 72, and Minton is predicting highs of 73 on Thursday and 75 on Friday, climbing even higher to 76 on Saturday.