Columbus (WCMH) – Unreal right? After this horrible December where temperatures at one point were running almost 6 degrees below normal, we took quite a turn today.Marks we hit/broke today:
- Today was the record high for the date (12-26) with a new high of 69° (old record was only 62° in 1982, 1889)
- Today was the warmest December day since 12-21-2013, also 69°
- Today was most above normal day at +28° (average, high+low/2) since 12-12-2015 (also +28°)
- Our morning low of 48° was 24° above normal, our high of 69° was 32° above average
- We haven’t had a similarly far negative departure from normal since 2-24-2015 (high 24°, low -11, average dept. was -28°)
- It was the warmest afternoon since November 18th (it hit 75°)
- It was the first record we hit since November 2nd (2016)
- 1st December record high temp since 12-23-2015 (65°)
- Today was the 7th warmest December day ever in Columbus (69°)
- Tied for warmest day in last 2/3rds of Decmeber (after December 10th)
- Latest 69°+ day on the calendar
Is this big warm-up in early Winter/late December that uncommon?
Not really, considering that the first six days of Winter, December 21st – December 26th, 4 of the 6 records (67%) have occurred in the last 4 years.
- 2016 26th 69°
- 2015 23rd 65°
- 2013 22nd 68°
- 2013 21st 69°
This was also the 7th warmest December day on record in Columbus
- 76° 12-3-1982
- 73° 12-6-1982
- 72° 12-10-1971
- 72° 12-2-1982
- 70° 12-6-1956
- 70° 12-5-2001
- 69° 12-26-2016
This will be the 1st December in 6 years where the average is below normal for the month:
The normal average temperature (high+low/2) is 33.5° for the month.
- 2015 44.7° (+11.2°)
- 2014 36.0° (+2.5°)
- 2013 34.7° (+1.2°)
- 2012 39.4° (+5.9°)
- 2011 38.9° (+5.4°)
- 2010 26.5° (-7.0°)
This December most likely will end up with an average temperature around 30.5° or about 3° below normal. It is crazy, but today alone we will have added almost 1° to our average temperature for the entire month, in just one day.Is this a sign of anything for the upcoming Winter?
In short, no. Yes, last December we had record temperatures for the month, and we had a 15 day streak to close the month/open January up, and it was a mild Winter. The past few Winters we have had a streak of mild temperatures late in the month of December, and the outcomes of each Winter have been different.
Consider in 2013, we had picked up 1 foot (12″ of snow before the start of Winter just in the month of December. Then we dropped a 69°/68° on the first two days of Winter that year. Then we had 0.7″ of snow to close out the month, then a bitterly cold rest of Winter.
- Dec 2013 +1.2° 12.7″ of snow
- Jan 2014 -6.8° 17.7″ of snow
- Feb 2014 -6.9° 15.9″ of snow
- Mar 2014 -4.5° 4.5″ of snow
Just enjoy the warm day when we have them, and remember, there will probably be a cold day soon that Mother Nature throws us as payback 🙂
If you ever have questions about record temps, climate, winter, or anything else weather related, email me: dmazza@wcmh.com
-Dave