Heatwave Likely to Deliver Record Temperatures for Plains States

Posted: December 15, 2021 1:54 pm

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An unfolding heatwave is taking grip across a large part of the central US, leaving many people wondering if the holidays are truly right around the corner. Although the official start of winter is not until December 21, most places generally begin to cool down before this date. This is certainly not the case this week for the Plains states.

Departure From Normal

The average high for the middle of December for places such as Kansas City hovers in the mid-40s. However, Wednesday’s forecast high of 74 degrees will shoot well beyond this norm. This heatwave will send the mercury skyrocketing about 30 to 40 degrees above average for cities such as Omaha, Wichita, Chicago, and Dallas.

According to the National Weather Service (NWS), a heatwave is defined as abnormally hot temperatures lasting for over two days. This will likely put Wednesday and Thursday under a true definition of this weather event for some of the nation’s midsection. In addition, some cities may also break daily high-temperature records with the possibility of a few areas even shattering the monthly records. The greatest chance of records falling will be on Wednesday.

Madison, Wisconsin, may be one of the places to see an all-time December record fall as a result of this encroaching heatwave. The mercury has never risen above the 65-degree mark for the college town. However, Wednesday’s forecast predicts the temperature may soar into the upper 60s, putting this monthly record at risk.

Farther south, Wichita, Kansas, may also be likely to see the monthly record fall. This city has never seen the 80s in the month of December. The presence of gusty winds may contribute to temperatures rising into the upper 70s with the potential of the mercury topping out at 80 degrees.

Other cities that may see daily records break include Chicago, St. Louis, Denver, and Dallas. Minneapolis may also see a new daily record on Wednesday. This warmth will trigger quite the case of weather whiplash for these residents. Just last week, the Twin Cities saw snowfall recorded in feet in some places.

Strong Winds Ushering in the Heat

The high winds whipping around are one of the primary reasons for the heat. As the winds pull warm air from the south up toward the north, the temperatures will naturally begin to rise. At the same time, the jet stream will be pulled northward over the central US.

These strong winds will last through Thursday morning, moving from the southwest to the northeast. In addition to the winds, a storm system is expected to fire up across the Plains states. This system will bring the potential of severe weather to cities such as Des Moines, Omaha, and Kansas City.

This warm air will track toward the Northeast as the week continues. This will bring the possibility of record warmth to cities such as Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, and New York City on Thursday. For example, the forecast high temperature for Thursday in the Big Apple is 61 degrees. The daily record high is 63 degrees, dating back to 1971.

This warmth does not bode well for those people hoping for a White Christmas. This pattern of unseasonably warm temperatures is expected to continue for several days.

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