After a warm November, December temperatures ‘could go either way’
An unseasonably warm November is not an indication that warmer weather will continue in December, according to a meteorologist.
Dan Dixon, with the National Weather Service in Huntsville, said a monthly climate summary indicated warmer-than-usual temperatures in November for the Madison-Huntsville area.
“The average maximum temperature throughout the entire month of November was roughly 3.4 degrees above normal, and the average minimum temperature was 0.5 degrees above normal,” Dixon said.
Dixon said there’s no reason to expect that the warmer-than-usual November will be followed by the same in December.
“The monthly outlook … indicates equal chances of seeing above normal or below normal temperatures for this part of the country,” Dixon said. “It could go either way.”
The average high temperature for the month of December is 53.5 degrees, while the average low temperature is 34.4, according to Dixon.
Dixon said there is a slight chance of rain mixed with snow Thursday morning and late Friday night.
“We are looking at another storm system that’s going to be impacting the area toward the end of the week, and the end of the first half of the weekend,” he said.
Dixon said 2020 has been a particularly rainy year thus far, with the area receiving over 17 inches more than usual. He said December will likely bring less precipitation than usual.
“Today at Huntsville we’ve recorded 65.90 inches this year so far, and the normal value is 48.57, so as it stands right now we have a surplus of 17.33 inches. Right now, it’s hard to tell whether (this year) will officially set any type of record because we don’t know how much additional rain or snow we might get in December, or if any at all,” Dixon said Tuesday.
“There is a slight bias toward below-normal precipitation through (December), at least in the outlook right now. But right now we’re definitely on track to have well above normal precipitation through the year.”
