Navigator: Can I Enjoy the Unseasonable Warmth?

I’ve never really liked the snow, or the freezing temperatures that come with it. Which is why the recent string of mild weather here in Washington, D.C., was a welcome treat. The winter that usually turns America's capital city into a dreary, slushy hellscape is suddenly enjoyable. I've gone for midday strolls and night runs without wrapping myself up like a burrito. And secretly, I (and maybe you, too) have embraced it all.

I say secretly because, as someone who frequently reports on the consequences of climate change, I know that this weather isn’t normal. The 60-degree temperatures in the midst of winter are likely the result of the Earth heating up. In fact, this past January was the warmest start to the new year across the globe in more than 140 years, according to a new report from the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. And it likely won’t be the last record set.