Andreea Ciulac

El Niño, the weather phenomenon that boosts global temperatures every few years, is expected to bring a warm winter to Chicago this year. And while local meteorologists talk about it like a blessing in disguise, the sucker might chip away at Chicago’s reputation as a postcard-perfect winter destination. Traumatized by record-breaking winters over the past two years, a lot of Chicagoans can’t help but get excited. There will be fewer traffic-jams, less winter gear to haul around, more reasonable heating bills, lighter hearts and slimmer waists. But you’ll start missing Chiberia soon enough. Here are four ways that El Niño could be bad news for Chicago. A lack of snow takes away the city's charm during the winter Christkindlmarket, the German-inspired festival held at Daley Plaza, attracts more than 1 million visitors each year. It's one of the largest Christmas markets in the entire country. Visitors and vendors alike are flocking here from all over the world, eager to spend their cash on baked goods, hand-made ornaments and hot spiced wine served in a boot-shaped mug. However, temperatures in the 50s diminishes some of the festival’s allure. Imagine you’re flying from California to Chicago and set up camp at a hotel in the Loop, only to realize that your holiday fantasy—​sipping steamy wine and biting into a chunk of processed meat while your cheeks are reddened by the chilly wind—was ruined by autumn-like weather. A snowless Christmas in Chicago is a pretty epic fail.  We