December Shaping Up to Chillier than the Norm This December

An updated outlook for December weather was released last week by The Weather Company and Atmospheric G2, indicating that some parts of the U.S. will be dealing with temperatures that will trend colder than usual. Here is a look at what the report said and how you can prepare.

Cold Start to December to Continue for Some Americans

The Lower 48 will see a little bit of everything in December. While the eastern half of the country is likely to be shivering, it will be a different situation out West. The stark differences will also be present when looking at the first half of the month when compared to the last half.

It has already been a cold start to the last month of the year for the East Coast and across much of the southern U.S. Most cities in the Northeast are currently experiencing the coldest start to December since 2019. Keep in mind that the last two winters have been exceptionally balmy when compared to typical standards, making this frigid start a surprise for some residents.

The latest data released by Atmospheric G2 is predicting that the second half of December will end up being warmer than the first part of the month. This trend will be most noticeable in the eastern half of the country.

The situation is looking differently for the West and the Southern Plains. These parts of the nation saw a chilly start to December, however, the month as a whole is expected to be warmer than average. The departure from the normal temperatures will be the most pronounced in the Desert Southwest and the Great Basin.

The jet stream pattern that is anticipated to keep the eastern U.S. under the chill of Mother Nature will also work to boost temperatures through at least the middle of the month in a large portion of the West. While the mercury may slip by mid-month for much of the West, forecasters believe that the temperatures in the Desert Southwest across to the Southern Plains will likely trend above the historical average until the calendar flips to 2025.

The outlook is also detailing that the majority of the nation will either come in at average or drier than average when it comes to precipitation totals for the month. The southern edge of the country stretching from Southern California and into northern Florida and the Carolinas will be the driest when compared to what the region typically sees this month.

A small zone in northern Washington and over into the northern Great Lakes is the only part of the country that is expected to see conditions that are wetter than what December normally brings. This will translate to more rain for the lower elevations of Washington state and snow for the Great Lakes.

How Vacation Plans May be Impacted by This Weather

This forecast is good news for winter sports enthusiasts hoping to hit the slopes in the northern quarter of the country in December. Plentiful amounts of fresh powder should be the norm for the Cascades and the northern parts of the Rockies. This zone is predicted to see the perfect pairing of colder temperatures and wetter than average amounts of precipitation, equaling a better chance of ideal conditions for skiing and snowboarding.