GREENVILLE, S.C. (FOX Carolina) – Forget the winter coat for the holidays. An unusually warm air mass moves into the Carolinas this week, bringing temperatures that could challenge records and make Christmas feel more like late spring than late December.
What to Expect This Week
Dry high pressure keeps conditions pleasant through today, with temperatures near normal to start the week, topping out in the low to mid 50s. But the real story begins Tuesday when a warm front lifts northeast through the area, ushering in an exceptionally warm pattern that lasts through the weekend.
Tuesday: Expect mostly dry conditions with a few light rain showers possible only in the North Carolina mountains near the Tennessee border. Temperatures climb to the low to mid 60s Tuesday.
Some breezy conditions develop, but nothing severe. Gusts pick up on Tuesday throughout the day around 20-25 mph.
Christmas Eve: Not only are we unseasonably warm, but highs are near records for both Greenville and Asheville. We top out in the upper 60s to the low 70s. Our forecast high for Greenville is 70° while the record is 71° set in 1964. For Asheville our forecast is 67° and the record is 72° set in 1955. It’s a dry day with mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies.
Christmas Day and Beyond: Unseasonably warm and dry weather continues for Christmas Day and through the weekend. Highs are in the low 70s for the Upstate and the upper 60s for the mountains. Asheville is forecast to set a new record high for Christmas Day with high of 68°, breaking the old record of 67°. The records for both Asheville and Greenville jump into the mid to upper 70s for Friday and into the weekend so for now they look safe.
What This Means for Your Plans
- No winter weather concerns: With this warm air mass in place, snow and ice don’t threaten the region, even if rain develops.
- Outdoor activities: If you have plans for holiday walks or outdoor gatherings, the weather cooperates beautifully with temperatures in the 70s.
- Heating: You may not need to run your heat as much as typical for late December.
Pattern Change Coming
We have the First Alert on a stronger cold front moves through the area Sunday, bringing a cooldown into early next week. We drop from well above normal highs on Sunday to near or below normal in the low to mid 50s for Monday.
For now, it doesn’t bring us much rain but we’ll keep a close eye on it.
The cooler weather looks to stick around through New Year’s.
Stay Weather Ready
While this warm stretch offers a gift for holiday planning, conditions can change quickly. Stay with First Alert Weather for updates as we monitor the pattern change heading into next week…