Forecast: Very Mild Weekend Great For Outdoor Activities

You might be wondering where all the cold air is this morning, and indeed it was another very mild night overnight. Temperatures didn’t go below freezing anywhere in southern New England.

If you are a winter weather enthusiast you might as well write off most of this month. While the final week could bring some wintry weather, the odds are more likely we end up with a December more like November or even late October on some days.

Back in 1982, the weather in December was also very warm. That was another El Nino year. These strong El Nino periods tend to bring very mild air to start winter here in New England. The chart below shows the temperatures during December 1982. Notice how warm it was then compared to the average range of temperatures, seen in brown.

This weekend is likely to bring more very mild air. There is a chance we could get close to the record high in Boston on Sunday, which is 63 degrees. There will be much colder air, in the 40s, across northern New England. We’ll need to watch this closely as it could spoil the potential for the very mild day Sunday.

Mild temperatures also continue into Monday, but there is a chance of showers. I still don’t see any cold air in sight until we get close to Christmas Eve, and that is far enough away that my confidence about seeing cold then isn’t great. The pattern will definitely break eventually, however, allowing for more seasonable weather at least before the month is over.

If you are hunting for snow be patient. There’s one chance of a snowstorm before Christmas, but it’s a slim chance. It's more likely we'll need to wait until January to see our first significant snowfall.

You can follow David’s weather updates on Twitter at @growingwisdom.

Today: Lots of clouds and mild.  Highs in the lower 50s.

Tonight: Lots of clouds, a quick shower.  Lows 42-46.

Friday: Becoming partly sunny and warm for December. Highs nearing 60.

Saturday: Partly sunny, with a high approaching 60.

Sunday: Mostly cloudy, with a high 58-63, cooler north of the border of Massachusetts.

Monday: Lots of clouds, some showers. Mild. Highs 55-61.