By Kristina Pydynowski, Senior Meteorologist
December 20,2015; 9:25PM,EST
Any hopes of a white Christmas that the weekend chill brought will be dashed in the eastern United States, with this Christmas Eve shaping up to be the warmest on record in many communities.
"There is a high probability for record-setting warmth up and down the entire Eastern Seaboard from Florida to Maine [on Christmas Eve]," AccuWeather Meteorologist Rob Englund said.
The jet stream is a strong river of air high in the atmosphere that guides weather systems and separates warm air to the south from cold air to the north.
Christmas Eve will feel more like an early autumn day with highs ranging from the 50s in Maine to the 70s in the mid-Atlantic and the lower 80s in parts of the Southeast. That equates to highs that are 15 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit above normal.
Widespread record highs will not only be challenged but shattered in many towns and cities. The potential exists for records to be topped by more than 5 degrees from Atlanta to Washington, D.C., to Philadelphia to New York City and to Burlington, Vermont.
Philadelphia's all-time December record high of 73 F, set on two days in 1998, will be in jeopardy.
"It appears high temperatures will be close to 70 F on Christmas Eve in New York City, which is about 30 degrees above normal for the date," AccuWeather Meteorologist Bill Deger said. "It was also unusually warm last Christmas Eve in 2014, when Central Park reached 58 F for a high."
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Forecast Temperature Maps
A surge of higher dewpoints will arrive with the warmth, making Christmas Eve actually feel humid by December standards along the I-95 corridor.
Along with erasing any hopes for a white Christmas, the warmth will mean residents can leave the heavy winter jackets, hats or mittens at home when heading out for last minute shopping or to Christmas Eve services.
The only chance of a white Christmas will be in the Tug Hill region of New York state, east of Lake Ontario, and northern Maine.
Record highs in jeopardy on Christmas Eve
The passage of a cold front will ease the extreme warmth in the Northeast for Christmas Day, but temperatures will still be well above normal for the holiday. In the Southeast, Friday will likely be a repeat of Thursday.
According to AccuWeather Meteorologist Ed Vallee, the return of persistent cold will not be the theme for the remainder of 2015.
"The extreme warmth of late will certainly be muted after Christmas Day, but above average temperatures continuing through the end of the month will set the stage for December monthly temperature records to be broken in some areas of the East," he said.
Though
unusual,70's in December has happened here before. In 2006 or
2007,there was one day in December,early December mind you,but December
nonetheless,where it was about 70 degrees and this was at like 1 or 2AM
and I was sweating my ass off. I had to take my fan that I had stored up
in the closet back in October down and my sheets were drenched in
sweat. Then, in January of 2007,it was about 70 degrees one day as
well,and that's in the middle of January that one year. I'm sure lots of
people around here in the NYC area will be out in shorts on Thursday
(like they were when it was 65 degrees last
Sunday),but I won't be surprised if those same people come down with
the flu come New Year's. Actually,I wouldn't mind 60 degrees on New
Year's either. At least I won't have to freeze to death in 15-degree
weather waiting for the ball that they drop here in parts of Westchester
every New Year's like I did in the past 2 or 3 New Year's
Eves.Although,I do have to say,if it hits 70 here on Christmas Eve it'll
be as much as 35-40 degrees warmer than normal,not 25-30 for that
date,considering that the average high for December 24 here is 36 or 37
degrees.
Andrew Patterson ·
Christmas
Eve will be nice and warm with a record challenging high temperature of
75 despite all that rain. Fortunately, temperatures this coming winter
will be above average. In fact, I prefer rain than snow any day of the
week. This will be totally thrilling.
Joseph Graziose
I
never allow anyone in my life who has baseboard heating of any kind in
the house, to proclaim winter is his favorite season....
1 · 
Anders Updale ·
Will record warmth also continue throuout January and February 2016 for the Northeast reducing the chances for any snow storms?
Paul Drapiewski ·
In
Minneapolis our record for Dec. 24 is 46 and for Dec 25 is 51. Looks
like we will not get near that and maybe snow for December 26. There is
none now, most small lakes froze with the brief cold snap, but others
are still open.
Eric Bailey ·
I am not a fan of this record warmth. I have never seen a December heat wave like this in my entire life.
Anders Updale ·
I
could'nt agree with you you more. I would'nt mind having a few days
during December with temp highs in the 40's and low 50's top.
But no 60's or 70's!
But no 60's or 70's!
Peter Roberts ·
It is supposed to be cold and snowy In December not warm and humid...I hate it give me snow or give me death!
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