Climate Change: Christmas heat wave headed east after record cold temps hit Colorado and California
It’s hot in Tampa and many on the east coast would be shocked to hear of record cold temperatures out west. In fact, as the weather pattern will lead to the warmest Christmas Eve on record for many locations east of the Mississippi River on Thursday, Colorado’s Antero Reservoir station, located about 100 miles southwest of Denver, said last week’s temperature reading was the third lowest the station has recorded in over 50 years.
“It was verified with another thermometer, both of which have been inspected and approved by the National Weather Service,” said spokesperson Travis Thompson, Sr. The last time the temperature was as low was on Feb. 8, 1989.
photo/ jarmoluk via pixabay.com
But as stated, mild air will flow this week from the Gulf of Mexico north to the Great Lakes and New England, circling around the backside of a sprawling area of high pressure parked off the East Coast. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday look to be the days when the most records are in jeopardy from the Southeast to the Northeast, with records likely to be set in Florida, Tennessee, Virginia, Massachusetts and several other states.
In Washington, D.C., the high temperature may exceed 70 degrees Fahrenheit on Christmas Eve — about 30 degrees Fahrenheit above average for the date.
Back out west to Camarillo in Ventura County in California, Tuesday tied a record low temperature as a cold front continued in Ventura County this week, according to the National Weather Service.
Camarillo dropped to 33 degrees, a record last reached in 1948, said Kathy Hoxsie, a meteorologist for the weather service.
Ojai reached 27 degrees Tuesday night, while Westlake Village was at 30. Lockwood Valley, usually the coldest area in the county, got down to 9, Hoxsie said.
A hard freeze warning for Ventura County’s interior valleys, including Ojai, Santa Paula, Fillmore and Ojai, was issued for 3 to 9 a.m. Thursday. Temperatures in the Ojai Valley were expected to be at or below 28 degrees late Wednesday or early Thursday. Other wind-sheltered areas might drop to 29 to 32 degrees.
This a sharp difference as Christmas Day looks to see records falling in Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and other locations.
Sunset from Seabourn Spirit, Mykonos, Greece. 2007 photo/ Tim via wikimedia commons
