For second consecutive day, temperatures in area hit 60s

On the eve of Groundhog Day, the temperatures in the region were perfectly normal - for an April 25 in Philadelphia, or for a Feb. 1 in Los Angeles.

For the second consecutive day, temperatures rocketed into the 60s, peaking at 67 at Philadelphia International Airport.

While that was shy of the record high, 70, set in 2002, the overnight "low" of 47 represented the highest minimum temperature for a Feb. 1 in Philadelphia - by plenty. The old standard was 42, set way back in 1916.

The balmy start to February follows two months that constituted the seventh-warmest Dec. 1 to Jan. 31 period since recordkeeping began in Philadelphia in the winter of 1884-85. And, yes, it's been mild out Punxsutawney way, and in much of the nation. Temperatures in Minneapolis were 7.7 degrees above normal for January.

At a time when money is tight, the warmth has held down home-heating costs, however not all the consequences have been benign. And they are likely to lap into spring and summer.

Bulb plants, such as lilies, narcissus, and crocuses, may be in for a rough time, said Linda R. Barry, master gardener at the Delaware County Penn State Agriculture Extension in Media.

"The bulbs will be crappy because they need so many days of freezing weather," she said. They also might flower prematurely, making them vulnerable to late freezes.

Cornell University experts warn that a milder winter may mean buggier warm seasons. The warmth has been good for the life cycles of some insect pests and invasive weeds normally susceptible to extreme cold, said Cornell professor David W. Wolfe.

For the deer population, the lack of snow cover has meant more exposed vegetation to eat, so expect a bigger spring population, he added.

For other animals, the warmth has been disorienting, said Mike Weilbacher, executive director of the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education in Roxborough.

"I think a lot of the animals are confused," he said. He has seen an aquatic turtle, normally a hibernator, swimming in a pond. Chipmunks, which usually shut down in winter, evidently have been active.

He also has seen something rather astounding from the plant world - the appearance of lesser celandine, a bright, marigold flower.

"I just saw two pop out the pond," he said. "I've never seen that on Feb. 1."