RANDY METCALF/Arizona Daily Wildcat Chemistry graduate student Mike Burmbach relaxes in the sun between a row of palm trees behind the Franklin building yesterday afternoon. Temperatures are expected to hit 80 degrees today, but the warm weather will be short-lived, with temperatures in the low 60s by tomorrow.

Yesterday's high of 83 surprises students

Students around campus ripped off their jackets and scarves yesterday, as they were met with surprisingly warm temperatures reaching 83 degrees.

Though most students were unsure why the weather was so warm, they were unwilling to let the day go to waste.

"I was going to do my homework at home, but it's too pretty of a day to spend indoors," said Vanessa Lopez, a molecular and cellular biology senior, who lounged next to the fountain at Old Main.

Noel McKee, an undeclared sophomore, was sprawled out on a beach blanket studying geography.

"I was walking to class, and I just thought it's a shame to stay inside on a perfect day like this," McKee said.

Dan Izzo, a pre-business freshman, decided to toss a baseball atop the grassy field along North Park Avenue because he was pleased with the "perfect baseball weather."

Graham Hill, a psychology junior, and Vanessa Young, a marketing junior, engaged in a game of catch football to exercise and have fun in the temperate climate.

"It's a high-endurance challenge right now," joked Hill, running barefoot across the field.

Some students said the shifting weather patterns caused chaos in their wardrobe plans.

Heidi Pantera, a journalism junior, said she plans to carry around a sweatshirt in her tote bag to prepare for future weather fluctuations.

"But I'm happy I got to wear flip-flops today instead of toe socks," she said.

Young had to go home and change clothes at 9 a.m. yesterday, because she wasn't aware it would be so warm.

"For my 8 a.m. class, I had on jeans, a scarf, gloves and my winter jacket," she said. "Now, I'm in a T-shirt and linen pants."

Erin Kriegel, a pre-education freshman, wished the warm weather would last.

"It was a comfortable day," she said. "If it was like this all year long, you couldn't convince me to leave Tucson."

But Gary Zell, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service, said yesterday's warm weather does not mean spring will come early. He warned that the warm weather, caused by a strong southwest flow, would not last long.

He said a cold front that could cause temperatures to plunge to 60 degrees by tomorrow is heading to Arizona.

"I don't like the variability," said Derek Eysenbach, a geography graduate student. "Either stay hot or stay cold."

Young said she was also disappointed to discover the temperatures would drop, as she was ready to show off the Tucson heat to a friend visiting her this weekend.

Laura Tesler, an anthropology graduate student, said she welcomed yesterday's cooldown, but the opinion could easily change.

"It's all relative because, in the summer, I'm going to wish it was cold," she said.

Tomorrow's weather is expected to be overcast with a high of 80 degrees.