Christmas Week Outlook

Another gorgeous day today with high's expected to top out in the mid 40's this afternoon. If you're enjoying this weather, it only gets better tomorrow with high's increasing into the lower 50's. Slight changes come this weekend with cloudy skies Saturday and a slight chance of an isolated shower (Sunday), but warm temperatures and sunny skies return for much of next week. 

With Christmas less than a week away what can you expect? Unfortunately, it won't be anything close to the desired white Christmas. In fact, Santa may want to leave his winter coat in the North Pole. The latest from the CPC shows well above average temperatures as we roll into next week. The average for this time of the year is around 48 degrees and we are anticipating temps in the mid 50's to 60's through much of next week. 

Though this Christmas will likely not be memorable weather-wise, here are the records from the NWS in Morristown through the years. 

Getting into the weather for the next couple of days, very seasonable. A high on the east coast will funnel in warmer temperatures Friday (in the lower 50's) and keep things sunny. Saturday, a system to the south will bring cloud cover to the region but we will stay mostly dry. Sunday is our best chance for any rainfall and even then, chances are very limited. 

Staying dry and mild the next several days continues to be the pattern but as we get into the weekend, a system on the Texas panhandle develops and moves east. This will increase clouds Saturday and bring isolated shower chances into Sunday. Most, if not all of the moisture, will be contained to southern TN and to the south. We will clear out Monday afternoon and stay sunny and abnormally warm through much of the remainder of the next week. Toward the later half and into the weekend, another system arrives bringing heavier showers and storms (even some colder air).

Overall, if you are making Christmas plans here in east TN conditions for travel will be just fine. Expect above average temperatures and mostly dry conditions for much of this next week. As for Friday and this weekend, mostly dry and slightly above average before even warmer temperatures arrive Monday. Have a good Thursday and be sure to enjoy the seasonable conditions the next couple of days.