In Central Park, people ate ice creams, picnicked, played, exercised, put on shorts, and often wore warm smiles. Carriages lined up for tourists to go sightseeing. Park visitors could hear the chirp of birds and see squirrels seeking food. The grass was growing and  changing the color of the ground from yellow and brown to faint green.

Carriages of Central Park  line up at the entrance of Central Park on W 59th Street, waiting for tourists. Photo by Chuyan Jiang, March 9, 2021

Children play at Heckscher Playground, Central Park. March 9, 2021, Photo by Chuyan Jiang

Children swing at Heckscher Playground, Central Park. March 9, 2021, Photo by Chuyan Jiang

People picnic near Heckscher Playground in Central Park. March 9, 2021, Photo by Chuyan Jiang

People walk and bike in at Central Park. March 9, 2021, Photo by Chuyan Jiang

A cyclist wears shorts in Central Park. March 9, 2021, Photo by Chuyan Jiang

A squirrel nibbles a nut in Central Park. March 9, 2021. Photo by Chuyan Jiang

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 As the heat was having its moment at the shore, strangers conversed while laying down  on the sand and others converted WFH (working from home) to WFB (working from the boardwalk). 

People tanning on the rocks by the ocean in Long Branch, New Jersey. March 9, 2021. Photo by Michelle Diaz

A woman sits on a bench while looking at her phone at the Asbury Park boardwalk in New Jersey. March 9, 2021. Photo by Michelle Diaz

A couple brought their beach chairs onto the boardwalk to catch some rays in Long Branch, New Jersey. March 9, 2021. Photo by Michelle Diaz

A man rides his bike, while a woman walks her dog on the boardwalk at Asbury Park, New Jersey. March 9, 2021. Photo by Michelle Diaz

Two women take a selfie while relaxing in their beach chairs at Long Branch, New Jersey. March 9, 2021. Photo by Michelle Diaz

A woman changes up working from home to working from the boardwalk on this warm spring day at Long Branch, New Jersey. March 9, 2021. Photo by Michelle Diaz

A family plays on the sand in Sandy Hook, New Jersey. March 9, 2021. Photo by Michelle Diaz

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The park was alive, drawing many people to enjoy the open air and make larger movements than small shoebox apartments in the city might allow. The warmth offered a sliver of hope to the neighborhood as the end of the pandemic tunnel seems to be glowing with hopeful possibility. 

A woman sits on a bench as three dogs run past in a dog park, March 9, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

A woman juggles batons in Tompkins Square Park, March 9, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

A man paints a large canvas in Tompkins Square Park, March 9, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

A man plays ping pong in Tompkins Square Park, March 9, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

A man roller skates in circles in Tompkins Square Park, March 9, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

Two girls lean against a tree watching dancers in Tompkins Square Park, March 9, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

A man throws a football in Tompkins Square Park, March 9, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

A man dances while painting barefoot in Tompkins Square Park, March 9, 2021. Photo by Inga Parkel

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But now, as the warm spring weather graces New York City, Brooklynites who have previously been in isolating in their homes to prevent the spread of COV-19, have come out to enjoy the changing weather.

Prospect Park, the second largest park in Brooklyn which surrounds  five neighborhoods, has become a popular gathering spot for many.

NYPD parked in front of Grand Army Plaza at Prospect Park. May 10th, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

Children playing kites with their father on Mother’s Day. May 10th, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

Bikers exercising at Prospect Park on a sunny Sunday. May 10th, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

Man standing on branches and dancing. May 10th, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

Couple enjoys the sunshine on hammock. May 3rd, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

Man following social distancing guidelines enjoying sunshine at park bench. May 10th, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

New Yorkers out to enjoy the sun on Mother’s Day. May 10th, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

Signs reminding New Yorkers to remain six feet apart at all times. May 10th, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

Intersection of Fort Hamilton Parkway and Ocean Parkway which leads to the Machate Circle. May 10th, 2020. Photo by Bessie Liu

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According to the National Weather Service, this is the warmest winter of the last 40 years in New York and 47 other states. Last year, on this same date, the average temperature in the city was 13 degrees.

Samuel Dee, 66, has run the County Pharmacy on Nostrand Avenue for more than 25 years. For Dee, warm winter weather  means change in his clients’ needs. 

“The temperature is a big determinant of what people can catch,” Dee said. Approximately 50 clients come in every day during winter, and between 60 and 65 visit him daily during spring to treat their allergies.

“This year, we have sold a lot less of the most commonly used antibiotics to treat colds and much more cough medicine and injections, which people need to treat the flu,” said Dee. “Temperatures below 20 degrees are too cold for flu to spread. That is when you see a significant increase in colds. In [this year´s] temperature, you see either both or more severe cases of flu.”

The pharmacist explained sales of facemasks are rising. His customers are worried about the Coronavirus. The city has seen its third suspected case of the rapidly spreading virus. 

According to  the World Meteorological Organization  global warming has caused an increase of 33 degrees in the world’s temperature in the last five years. Still, there is no direct link between long-term global trends and short-term variations we experience from day to day. Wind speed, humidity, atmospheric pressure, and the soil’s absorption of sun rays determine the weather.

Alysta Garvey, 70, the owner of Garvey’s Hardware, has done plumbing work in Brooklyn since 1980. He said winter is typically peak time for his business—but not this year. 

“Since this winter has not been that cold, the stress on the pipes around here has been less than usual, he said. “We haven’t gotten calls about burst or frozen pipes, and I don’t remember any other winter when this had happened. Luckily, we still get a lot of calls about radiators and heaters.” 

Alysta Garvey, owner of Garvey’s Hardware in Crown Heights, Brooklyn, said warm winters  has kept pipes from bursting.  Photo by Ximena Del Cerro

But the winter is far from ending. The Climate Data Organization forecasts the next snowfall for Wednesday  even though the temperature will not drop below 32 degrees.

Business in the winter is always slow for Shelley Marshawn, the owner of Island Pops, an ice cream store in Crown Heights Brooklyn.

For Shelley Marshawn, 34, winter always means a drop in business. She is the owner of Island Pops, an ice cream store on the corner of Nostrand  Avenue and St. Marks Avenue  and from October to March, her work mostly consists of making coffee. 

“It is not very cold outside, but people are still in a winter mindset, and they don’t buy much ice cream during these months,” said Marshawn. “With the exception of a couple of weekends during January, when we sold a few cones and pints, this winter is no different for the business.”

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