Five cities in the Northeast set the record for the warmest year in 2010, according to statistics released by the Northeast Regional Climate Center (NRCC) Jan. 3.

The cities -- Hartford, Conn.; Caribou, Maine; Boston, Mass.; Concord, N.H.; and Providence, R.I. -- were among 35 monitored by the NRCC. All but four of the 35 cities experienced above-average temperatures overall; none had a record-setting low average for the year.

The warmth didn't extend to Ithaca. The average temperature here was 47.8 degrees, making 2010 the 10th warmest year out of the 111 years records have been kep. The warmest year was 49.4 degrees in 1998.

Will the high temperatures continue into 2011? There's no telling, said NRCC climatologist Jessica Rennells. "In the Northeast we're going to be affected by short-term influences in the atmosphere," she said, allowing for predictions only a week or two ahead.