Sunday is breaking the record high with 54 degrees in the Twin Cities, pacing well ahead of the previous record at 46 degrees.

The warm weather is bringing some delays and cancellations, including the Minnesota Ice Festival in Eagan. Festival organizers blamed the winter celebration cancellation on the unseasonable start to winter as temperatures are not ideal for ice-making.

Meanwhile, in Delano, the Ice Palace Minnesota is at a standstill. Their website states that the opening date is to be determined depending on the weather.

Many outdoor ice rinks also haven’t been able to open. According to the Minneapolis Park and Recreation site, 45 ice rinks across the city are closed for the season.

“There might not be snow in your backyard, but we’ve got snow at Wild Mountain,” Nathan Hakseth, Wild Mountain manager, said.

Wild Mountain Ski Resort is doing its best to preserve its fresh powder.

“Obviously it’s really warm out today and we do still have some snow, but we’re really hoping for some colder weather to make some more snow,” Hakseth said.

Buck Hill is shutting down its snow activities until Tuesday to keep as much snow as they can amid the record-breaking temps.

“The Christmas Eve warmth obliterated the record,” Matt Serwe, 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS meteorologist, said. “Normally we talk about breaking records by like a degree or two. We broke it by nine degrees.”

Serwe explained what we’re experiencing is an unusual climate pattern.

“The El Nino pattern usually means the polar jet, that really really cold air, stays a little bit farther north and the western and northern U.S. is a little warmer and a little drier,” Serwe said.

While December didn’t go as planned, some decided to take advantage of the warm weather by taking walks at Loring Park, including a group of about 20 people wearing Santa hats.

Laura Amirales, says the group calls themselves Walking Hearts and they’re made up of Latino people who take walks every Sunday to build a sense of community as well as a healthier lifestyle. 

“We live here because we like the white Christmas. We have a gentleman here from Miami that’s visiting, and he came for the snow and he’s not getting snow, so we are bummed about that but are enjoying the warm weather for sure,” said Amirales. 

“The weather was really nice. I was surprised. I didn’t even have to get dressed or nothing,” said Jolene Nelson, who was seen walking her dog.