Warmest December? Could See Warmest Christmas Eve/Day On Record East Of Mississippi!

Written by Mark Vogan on December 15, 2015 in Autumn 2015, United States of America, Winter 2015/16 with 0 Comments

Based on the warmth already seen and the model projection through the remainder of month, this is highly likely to be one of the warmest December on record for the Lower 48.

Last 7 day mean

Michael Ventrice

Month to date

Michael Ventrice

MJO, AO, NAO All Point To Continued Warmth The Rest Of December!

ensplume_small

Note the MJO remains in warm phases 4 and 5.

combined_imageTNEWMQ6A

ao_sprd2

nao_sprd2

nao_correlation_map

[s2If current_user_can(access_s2member_level1)]

Today (Tuesday), highs peak an hour or two after midnight with further records tied or broken in the East, Northeast.

Just after midnight, 5 our of 6 New York City sites set a new record for Dec 15.

untitled

Philadelphia topped a record 71 Sunday, record 70 yesterday and shortly after midnight, a record high for today was set with 69.

untitled

Colder With Plenty Of Snow Out West

Meanwhile, Out West and the latest storm has dropped up to 2 additional feet on the Sierra.

untitled

While warmth rules the East, enough cold and moisture streaming in from active Pacific is building the Sierra Nevada snowpack nicely compared to this time last year.

untitled

This morning is a cold and snowy one for Denver.

CWRP1teWIAAIvL8

Colorado Springs just now.

CSUMC_175x131

Credit: Tropical Tidbits

Tomorrow morning it will be snowy in the Northern Plains

Credit: Tropical Tidbits

Warmest Christmas On Record?

As we look ahead to next week and to Christmas, there appears a cold shot which is now over the Rockies, slides east bringing a shot of something more December-like to the East this weekend.

Credit: Tropical Tidbits

This is followed by more extreme warmth in the final days prior to Christmas according to the GFS. In fact the high really explodes off New England, Nova Scotia and builds WESTWARDS while a storm gathers on the Plains. This sets the stage for potentially the warmest Christmas Eve/Day or both on record in the Northeast/East extending up into Quebec.