Warm temperatures are expected to hit the U.S. before the New Year, flipping the frozen arctic blast that arrived ahead of Christmas on its head.
Some parts of the U.S. are expected to feel relief from the Christmas 2022 “bomb cyclone” conditions before others, according to AccuWeather. The jet stream is anticipated to shift in the week leading up to New Years, lead long-range meteorologist Paul Pastelok said.
“Instead of a massive dip in the jet stream that allows air from the North Pole to empty into the U.S., a more west-to-east jet pattern will develop and allow milder air from the Pacific to flow across much of the nation,” Pastelok told AccuWeather.
The Rockies, Great Plains and the Mississippi Valley will be hit first with the warming temperatures, but places like Denver, which saw -24 degrees on Thursday might experience 60 degrees by Tuesday, AccuWeather noted. Chicago is also expected to receive relief from the frozen temperatures, with the National Weather Service tweeting images of “above normal” rainfall and heat for that area’s forecast.
While it is cold & snowy this morning, the cold & snow will become distant memories later this week. Highs Thursday through early next week should be in the 40s & 50s. We’re also watching a couple systems during that time which could bring soaking rains to portions of the region! pic.twitter.com/gpNpwVW8rq
— NWS Chicago (@NWSChicago) December 26, 2022
High pressure systems may hang onto parts of the northeast and dip southwards, keeping things between 40 degrees and the low 50s in New York City, AccuWeather continued. In North Carolina and Georgia, it may take until Wednesday before temperatures return to normal levels.
As the fluctuations take hold, they could lead to significant storm systems in early January, AccuWeather noted. The influx of moisture could help in recovering the near-record-low water levels experienced throughout the summer and autumn months of 2022. (RELATED: America Is Burning: Insane Videos Show ‘Disaster’ Impact Of Extreme Weather Caused By ‘Heat Dome’)
“As a warm and moist air flow begins from the Gulf of Mexico and jet stream energy arrives from the Rockies, there may be one or more rounds of heavy, gusty to severe thunderstorms that develop near the Gulf coast to the southern Plains and or the lower Mississippi Valley later this week,” AccuWeather meteorologist Joe Bauer said.
Depending on what the atmosphere decides to do, severe weather, such as hail and tornadoes, might become a significant threat to parts of the country. The warmup might also lead to heavy fog conditions in parts of the country.