Harrisburg: Mild Air to Hang on Until New Weekend

By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist

December 13,2015; 9:35PM,EST

 

 

While the passage of rain early in the week will trim the record warmth away from Harrisburg, mild air will hang on until the new weekend.
Monday will bring another day of temperatures flirting with record highs. After Sunday's record warmth, temperatures will challenge Monday's record high of 64 F from 1927.

Soaking Rain to Impact Travel; Much of it Monday

A high in the lower 40s is more common this time of year.
Monday, however, will not be as pleasant for those hoping to spend the unusual warmth outdoors as Sunday was. Rain will become steadier as the day progresses. A rare rumble of December thunder can even be heard.
Slower travel and reduced visibility can be expected but not widespread flash flooding.

In the wake of the rain, heavy jackets will not have to replace umbrellas Tuesday and Wednesday. Temperatures will be slashed by about 10 degrees, but will remain mild for this time of year.
The mild air will hang on through Thursday as a storm system brings rain and slower travel.
The colder air gradually filtering in behind this system will finally return more typical December weather to the Harrisburg area Friday and into the new weekend.
RELATED:
Detailed Harrisburg Forecast
Harrisburg Interactive Weather Radar
AccuWeather MinuteCast® for Harrisburg
Temperatures these days will rival the November cold shots for the lowest temperature readings so far this season. A brisk wind will lead to even lower AccuWeather RealFeel® temperatures.
"Even though it will feel much colder than the balmy temperatures of late, afternoon high temperatures will still be near average at the height of the chill this weekend," stated AccuWeather Meteorologist Brian Thompson.

Snow showers will stream into Allegheny Mountains. Snow will likely struggle to fall east of the mountains, unless a storm takes shape along the Northeast coast as the cold air arrives. Even then, the better opportunity for snow would be toward the Poconos.
As quick as the cold arrives, it will give way to another surge of warmth for Christmas week.
"Much like November, this month has the potential to be one of the warmest Decembers on record in Harrisburg," stated AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Alex Sosnowski. "Through Dec. 12, temperatures were averaging more than 5 degrees above normal."