Southern U.S. Enjoying Unseasonably Warm Record-Breaking Temperatures

It seems like months ago that a record-breaking snowstorm gripped the U.S. Gulf Coast when the reality is that it has only been a few weeks. Unseasonable warmth across this part of the nation has made it feel more like spring than the depths of winter but how long will this pattern continue? Read on for all of the details.

Warmth to Spread Across the South

Several records may fall this week as atypically warm temperatures spread across a large swath of the southern U.S. This pattern is in stark contrast to what is happening in the Midwest and the Northeast as a train of storms continues to bring waves of rain, snow, and ice.

The zone of warm temperatures is expected to move to the east throughout the balance of the week. The warmth originated in the Southwest and the southern Plains, breaking numerous records in this region. The record-breaking warmth then filtered to the northeast into the Ohio Valley.

Meteorologists note that at least 75 high temperature records were either broken or tied on Monday alone. This influx of warmer than average air will continue to push to the east and envelop a large portion of the south-central U.S. and into the Southeast, bringing the possibility of more record-setting readings.

Some of the records that fell on Monday across the Ohio Valley had been in place since the late 1800s. For instance, Cincinnati and Columbus both saw new records to start the work week. The mass of warm air inched to the south, breaking records in places such as Lexington, Kentucky.

Other records that were smashed to start the week included a top reading of 71 degrees in Grand Junction, Colorado, breaking the previous record going back to 1904. Lubbock, Texas tied its past February record on Monday when it hit 91 degrees. This reading also happened nine days earlier than the previous earliest time of the year to break the 90-degree barrier.

Also in the Texas Panhandle, Amarillo saw the mercury reach 89 degrees on Monday only to see it plummet to 21 degrees 17 hours later as a cold front pushed through the High Plains.

What to Expect Through the End of the Week

The core of the warmth will peak across the south-central U.S. and Gulf Coast on Thursday. You can expect widespread temperatures in the 70s and 80s at this time. This will translate to readings that hit between 15 and 25 degrees over the historical average for the beginning of February.

For instance, the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex will see temperatures that are reminiscent of April rather than the beginning of February with a forecast high of 78 degrees on Thursday. It will be even toastier on Saturday as the mercury soars into the mid 80s across North Texas.

Meteorologists believe several more high records will tumble during this time frame. The zone of record-setting readings will stretch from Texas and into the Carolinas.

Readings in the 60s will be the norm for parts of Oklahoma and northern Arkansas across the Tennessee Valley and the mid-Atlantic. Areas to the north in the Tennessee Valley will see a surge of moisture accompany this warmth. However, the Southeast and the south-central U.S. will be mostly dry as the warmth builds.

Cities such as Little Rock will be in the bullseye for the record-breaking temperatures on Thursday. The capital city of Arkansas is anticipating a high in the mid 70s despite mostly cloudy skies. Winds will be out of the southwest at 10 to 15 mph while overnight lows will bottom out in the upper 40s.

It will also be particularly warm in Nashville by February standards. However, some of this warmth will be negated by the presence of clouds and rain. For example, Nashville is forecast to see a high in the upper 60s on Thursday with the threat of thunderstorms in the afternoon and evening hours.

This is the third straight February that has seen a major heat wave in the U.S. A heat wave at the end of February 2024 resulted in temperatures that hit 90 degrees in the southeastern corner of Missouri. The warmth expanded far to the north with readings in the low 70s across parts of Michigan. There were 56 cities that either tied or broke records for daily highs over the course of last winter.

A similar situation set up in February of 2023. Both Nashville and Raleigh notched a reading of 85 degrees while Atlanta reached 81 degrees. All three of these readings were good enough to set the all-time high during the winter for these metro areas.

What to Expect Heading Into the Weekend

After a brief cooling period on Friday, warmer temperatures are back in the picture for the weekend. It is possible that some areas will experience highs on Saturday that eclipse the readings set on Thursday. Going back to Little Rock, this city is currently forecast to hit the 80-degree mark after only seeing readings in the mid 50s on Friday.

Tourists descending on New Orleans for the Super Bowl on Sunday will also get in on this warmth. The Crescent City is forecast to reach a high in the upper 70s on Wednesday and Thursday. After a slight pullback on Friday, the readings will once again approach the 80-degree mark heading into the weekend.

Sunday's forecast for the big game between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Philadelphia Eagles is calling for mostly sunny skies and a high of about 79 degrees across the bayou. The only weather issue will be areas of patchy fog early. Overnight lows will fall into the low 60s as fans of the winning team hit up Bourbon Street for the celebration.

Colder air is looming for the Plains by the start of next week. This mass of cool air will have some staying power for most of the central and eastern U.S. The exception to this forecast will be the northern Gulf Coast and down into Florida, areas where temperatures will remain on the warm side heading into the middle of February.

The mercury will swing back again toward more normal values by Sunday and Monday and cooler temperatures move across the southern U.S. For instance, after the potential of an 80-degree day on Saturday in Little Rock, the pendulum will swing once again with a forecast high of just 46 degrees on Sunday and 43 degrees on Monday.

While this seems like a wild ride for temperatures, it is important to keep in mind that this is the time of the year when readings tend to fluctuate greatly.

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