PHOENIX — With much of the Northeast gripped by snow and ice storms, the Southwest is riding a record heat wave that sent people to beaches and golf courses in droves Friday.

People in Phoenix and Southern California were sunning themselves in 80-degree weather, with forecasters predicting more of the same through the weekend.

Both areas are known for warm weather, but the National Weather Service said the temperatures are uncharacteristically hot for this time of year. The heat is the result of a high-pressure system off the coast of Southern California.

In the Phoenix, the many Midwestern retirees and visitors who flock to the desert each winter were thrilled about the 80-degree days – and not being in the miserable cold back home.

Rocky Krizan, a Chisago City, Minn., retiree who spends his winters in the Phoenix area, said his daughter and two grandchildren just arrived from Minnesota and were stunned by the difference.

“When they left there at 5 o’clock in the morning, it was minus 24. That’s actual temperature and wind chill,” he said.

By 11 a.m. in Phoenix, they were at the pool in mid-70s temperatures.

– The Associated Press