NHL prepared for mild weather when Blackhawks host Blues in Winter Classic on New Year's Eve
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Plenty of Chicagoans took advantage of an incredibly warm late December day on Saturday for the last weekend of the year, as temperatures reached into the 50s.
But the unseasonably warm weather could throw a curveball for some people setting up a massive event at Wrigley Field on New Year's Eve.
Crews were busy on Saturday setting up for the Winter Classic on New Year's Eve, when the Blackhawks will host the Blues.
Typically, fans planning to watch an outdoor hockey game in Chicago in late December would be facing some bitter cold, but that won't be the case on Tuesday, with temperatures are expected to be in the upper 30s to low 40s during the game, with chances for rain or snow showers.
In fact, some Chicagoans thought it was warm enough to bust out the shorts, while others went shirtless on their walk home from the gym.
Depending on where temperatures end up in the closing days of the year, 2024 could be one for the record books as the warmest on record in Chicago.
The city's average daily temperature could be as high as 55-degrees. The previous record is an average of 54.5 degrees, set in 2012.
Organizers of the Winter Classic said they're prepared for anything.
"You know, you have to look out for things that could happen along the way. Weather is always a part of that. It's nice and warm here in Chicago. We were prepared for any kind of weather," said Steve Mayer, president of content and events for the NHL.
Most people in Chicago seemed to hope these temperatures would hang around.
"I'm used to it being cold. I'm used to the snow on the ground. So, yes, definitely, this has been good weather," said Danielle Thomas, who used to live in Chicago.
"I think it's a little warmer here right now than it is back home. So it's been amazing," said Keith Wright, who was visiting Chicago from Atlanta.
Tuesday's mild temperatures will be from the warmest weather ever for an outdoor NHL game.
In 2020, the Winter Classic at the Cotton Bowl in Dallas saw a temperature of 57° at puck drop. In January 2015, the Stadium Series game between the Ducks and Kings was 62° at puck drop. In February 2016, the Stadium Series game between the Red Wings and Avalanche in Demver was a balmy 65° at puck drop – the warmest ever for an outdoor hockey game.
