December’s first week to average 12° below normal
Thursday’s 27° high was the chilliest close to a meteorological autumn here in 22 years—since a 24° high on Nov. 30, 1983. That this past season closed as chilly as it did is ironic, considering the three month period from September through November finished well above normal—the 19th warmest of any since 1871.
The chill sets the tone for December’s opening week, expected to average nearly 12° below normal. North winds behind a series of vigorous, snow-producing disturbances predicted to sweep the area in the coming week, pull successively colder lobes of arctic air into the Midwest off a vast reservoir of frigid air which covers the central U.S. and north. These cold pushes promise to produce a succession of daily temperature deficits through at least next week. If predicted temperatures verify over the next seven days, December, 2005’s opening may rank among the Top 10 coldest on the books here.