Houston and several U.S. cities may experience record-breaking temperatures this Christmas, with Houston potentially reaching highs of 82 or 83 degrees. According to the Houston Chronicle, the city has seen 80-degree Christmases only four times since 1891, and this year's warm spell could add itself to the list. The meteorological phenomenon is reportedly due to a sprawling ridge of high pressure affecting areas from the West to the East Coasts.
City forecasts, including those for Dallas and Abilene, suggest temperatures might well surpass their respective records of 81 and 83 degrees, set in 2021. While the climate's whimsy continues to expand, cities like Amarillo, Lubbock, and Wichita Falls are also bracing to potentially break their daily heat records. The National Weather Service confirms a foggy Houston morning, transitioning into partly sunny skies with calm winds turning south at around 5 mph in the afternoon.
Temperature observations from Bush Intercontinental Airport indicate similarities with Christmas Day of 2015, Houston's warmest recorded December 25th to date, when the mercury hit 83 degrees. Current conditions suggest Houston could tie or even surpass this record if the day's limited cloudiness and gentle breezes play their part. Much of the United States appears affected by the heat wave, with record temperatures a possibility not just in Texas but as far afield as Idaho to Georgia.
The forecast anticipates varied conditions. According to the NWS, the forthcoming days in Houston will continue to bring patchy fog and partly sunny skies, with temperatures reaching into the low 80s. However, a shift is expected by Sunday night, promising a 40 percent chance of showers and breezy conditions, potentially marking an end to the unseasonal warmth. Houstonians might soon experience more typical winter weather, featuring cloudy skies and highs plateauing around the mid-50s to 60 degrees.
