California Bakes As Winter Temperatures Set New Records Across The State

Under a baking sun, Russell Neches peeled off his long-sleeved base layer to hit the ski slopes at Royal Gorge Cross Country Resort near Lake Tahoe. Early February should be the the dead of California’s winter, yet Neches was skiing in — and sweating through — his T-shirt. “As soon as there was sun, it was unbearably hot,” said the 37-year-old Oakland resident. Unseasonably warm and dry temperatures blanketed California over the weekend, shattering records across the state and bringing clear blue skies that were expected to linger through next weekend.