Christmas Week Preview: Temperatures Could Pop Into the 60s

Odds of a white Christmas are extremely low

A strong signal exists for well above average warmth the week of Christmas.

While it's impossible to predict specific temperatures or the time a front will pass through this far out, a forecast for the general weather pattern can be made weeks in advance.

A massive, highly anomalous ridge of high pressure will likely be parked over the eastern United States in the days leading up to Christmas. Most of the time this results in above average temperatures.

Surface wind direction is important, especially this time of year, and it looks like a large Bermuda high pressure system at the surface will provide a southwest wind. This is a warm wind direction.

Temperatures could pop into the 60s and even break records.

Now, the western side of a ridge is an area favorable for storminess. Thus, rain is possible as the peak of the warm surge comes to an end. It's not clear when that occurs, but the odds of a white Christmas are extremely low.

Keep in mind, the average high temperature is in the upper 30s next week in the Hartford area. Actual temperatures could end up 20 to 30 degrees above average.

Record high temperatures in the Hartford area next Monday through Friday, respectively, are 60, 64, 61, 59 and 64.

Record high temperatures in the Bridgeport area next Monday through Friday, respectively, are 60, 60, 60, 57 and 59.

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