Greater New York is just starting what could be an eight day stretch of abnormally warm weather: a veritable heat wave in January.

Tuesday reached 51 degrees in Atlantic City, the first of perhaps eight consecutive days that will be up to 20 degrees warmer than normal across the region. That kind of warmth is exceptionally rare, and may make this January one of the warmest months relative to historic records in the last 100 years or more in parts of the tri-state. To blame is what NOAA’s Hydrometeorological Prediction Center is calling a “tenacious subtropical ridge” funneling loads of warm air directly towards the eastern United States.

In New York City, this week is typically the coldest of the year. Instead, this year it could reach as warm as the upper 50s or low 60s by the weekend. Those days could be a bit drizzly, and could feel quite tropical — especially for January.

READ MORE: WSJ