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The Gulf States are shaping up to be one of the hottest focal points in the country as the calendar flips toward 2026, with Texas and Louisiana squarely in the path of a late-December warmth surge. Forecast guidance heading into the Dec. 27–Jan. 2 period points to temperatures running well above normal, raising the possibility of near-record heat in cities like Houston.
Late December is typically a cooler, more variable time along the Gulf Coast, with average highs in the lower to mid-60s. This year, however, a dominant ridge of high pressure is expected to lock in across the southern U.S., tapping warm Gulf air and suppressing cold fronts that would normally bring winter chill southward. As a result, daytime highs could push into the upper 70s and even low 80s, levels more typical of late March than the end of the year…