Merry Christmas, North Texas! 🎄
What a gift from Mother Nature today – a very warm Christmas that’s anything but traditional. Highs are climbing into the low to mid-80s across the DFW area under mostly sunny to partly cloudy skies, with a breezy southwest wind keeping things feeling even toastier.
My forecast has DFW flirting with the all-time warmest Christmas record of 82°, set in 2021. We’re on track to tie or come very close to that mark, with current forecast projections hovering around 80–84°. This makes it one of the top warmest Christmases on record, with temperatures running 20–25 degrees above the normal high of about 56°. No holiday coats or sweaters needed today.
The near-record warmth sticks around tomorrow (Friday) with highs still pushing into the low-to-mid 80s, south breezes, and partly cloudy skies – potentially setting new daily records. The balmy pattern holds through Saturday and into Sunday afternoon, so enjoy this extended holiday heatwave while it lasts.
But change is on the way. We’re closely tracking a strong arctic cold front arriving later Sunday. You’ll feel it clearly: shifting to a chilly northerly wind, with temperatures dropping rapidly. That sets up a sharply colder Monday, with highs struggling to reach the 40s and wind chills making it feel even cooler. Overnight lows could dip into the upper 20s or low 30s early next week – some real winter weather.
Rain and thunderstorm chances ramp up with the front late Sunday. A narrow line of storms could develop, bringing brief heavy rain and gusty winds as it moves through quickly just ahead of the front. At this point, no severe weather is expected, but stay weather-aware if you’re traveling.
Temperatures should slowly rebound toward the middle of next week, heading into New Year’s – likely back to more seasonal levels in the 50s and 60s.
Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays. -William