Chilly Arctic air has settled in for most of the lower 48 for late November, bringing widespread heavy snow and wind across the Rockies, Plains, and Midwest. Many places along the Eastern Great Lakes saw significant lake-effect snow, totaling 1-2 feet in some areas in western New York, and cities such as Withita and Kansas City saw record one day snowfall amounts, picking up nearly a foot of snow. The first major cold snap of the season even hit the deep south, bringing the first freeze of the season to North Florida and the Gulf Coast, and dropping temperatures into the 20s and upper 10s across the interior southeast. Does this mean a colder than average December? Stemify’s December Temperature Outlook has a look ahead.
Overall, most of the U.S. should expect a mild to warm December, with frequent ridging across the entire U.S. The Northern Great Lakes and Upper Midwest should expect temperatures most above average while the Southeast Gulf and Southern Arizona will likely see near average temperatures associated with wetter conditions amplified by the Subtropical Jet Stream. With the Polar Jet Stream locked into Canada, arctic outbreaks associated with the Arctic Oscillation will be less frequent, but occasional cold snaps will be possible, particularly across the Eastern U.S. This is often the pattern of a typical El Niño Winter, but as the El Niño continues to strengthen, the overall pattern could change into the start of 2024.
Disclaimer: These outlooks are only used for generic purposes and simply depict trends overtime, not day-by-day forecasts. Errors are possible in these outlooks due to the high amount of uncertainty of forecasting months in advance. Most data is obtained from Tropical Tidbits.
