A sneak preview of springtime

Less than a week after a snowstorm pummeled the region, folks shed jackets and flung open their doors yesterday to celebrate temperatures that rose near a record high.

With spring less than two weeks away and the bitter cold but a shunned memory, people thronged to city parks, suburban nature centers, and the Philadelphia Zoo to soak up warm rays.

The temperature peaked at 72 at 2 p.m., just shy of the record 74, set in 1974.

The forecast calls for continued warmth today, though also some cloudiness and a slight chance of late-day rain.

And since daylight saving time began this morning, there will be an extra hour to enjoy before dusk.

Yesterday morning, hikers at the Palmyra Cove Nature Park in Burlington County quickly began removing outer layers and broke into a sweat while scouting for fox tracks.

Naturalist Ed Sanderson predicted that spotting them would be tougher without a blanket of snow, but hike leader Kristina Merola and her 10 followers refused to complain.

Five-year-old Fiona Pepper of Collingswood had loved sledding Monday on her town's "Snake Hill," but she was eager for new fun. As she and her family ambled down dirt trails, stopping to peer at a wispy white owlet that stared from a tree, she said she definitely liked "this kind of weather" better.

Another hiker, Edie Koch, 73, of Philadelphia, heartily agreed. "I'm ecstatic, absolutely ecstatic," she said. She had just uncovered the glider on her patio and said she was counting the days to begin gardening, a passion she shares with her husband.

Bob Runkle, 62, also of Philadelphia, beamed as he strolled toward the Delaware River toting a fishing pole and bait bucket. "I've been waiting for a day like this," he said. "It's the first day of the season."

In Rittenhouse Square, nearly all the wooden benches were filled midday with people eating picnic lunches, reading books, or lazily watching others jog, bike, or stroll past.

Children drew chalk pictures on a fountain bed that has not yet been filled with water. It was like a giant playpen.

Street entertainers drew lingering crowds. A woman with flowing auburn hair danced an Irish jig as a fiddler played and the audience clapped in rhythm. One man, dressed in a black tux with tails, pretended to be a mannequin while his boom box bellowed Louis Armstrong's feel-good "What a Wonderful World."

No one mentioned the distressed economy, and when asked, most shrugged it off. They had come out to enjoy the day and would not tolerate any cloud.

Ashley Harris showed up in the square in a neon-yellow outfit and boots, carrying her tuckered-out Pomeranian. People flocked to her to take turns patting the pup.

Harris, 25, of West Philadelphia, confessed to a secret: "People are telling me I look really springy, but I'm from Georgia and I was excited to see the snow last week. I prefer it."

Peter Crovo and Natasha Cave, both 30 and newly betrothed, did not have to hunt for a bench. Crovo had hauled a beach chair from the basement of their nearby home, and Cave brought a gray flannel blanket.

Cave sat, legs folded and barefoot, and chuckled when she recalled how only a few days ago she was wearing a coat and warm boots. "And I was clearing the snow off her car," said Crovo.

In the morning the couple had jogged along Kelly Drive, which Crovo described as "really packed."

Traffic in the city was reported heavy for much of the day as many decided to share the beautiful weather with their favorite animals at the zoo.

Also packed were several indoor venues. The Convention Center was jammed for the Philadelphia Flower Show, which ends today, while others gathered in bars to celebrate Philly Beer Week.

Janet Marrone, 45, and her daughter, Jenna, 22, were among the sold-out crowd at the Belgian Cafe's Ladies Beer Tea, an event where chocolate stout and raspberry beer were served.

"I thought it would be something fun to do for a mother-daughter outing," said Marrone, of Southampton, Bucks County, as women crowded the quaint tavern in Fairmount.

"I like girly beers," her daughter said, giggling. The two were looking forward to a smorgasbord of exotic beers and sandwich samplers.

Other bar customers decided to grab for the best of both worlds. They sipped their beer from a row of seats and tables conveniently set up on the sidewalk.

But will this idyllic weather last? Probably not. It is supposed to be quite chilly again by week's end.