Cold air gone missing in North America; Near 40 again by Christmas Day?

+4.5 degrees December temps vs. average at MSP Airport

12 days at or above freezing at MSP this month

2 days at or above 40 at MSP this month

7.5 days at or below zero on average in December at MSP

+5 degrees coldest temps at MSP this December

This is getting a little ridiculous.

A look at temperatures in North America today shows a complete lack of seasonably cold air on the maps.

By now we would expect to brace against sub-zero air as it invades Minnesota. Instead we've seen more days in the 40s than below zero.

Mild in Canada too!

It's not just mild here.

There's a noticeable lack of cold air in North America all the way up to the Arctic Circle.

High again today were in the 30s and 40s well into Canada. Highs have been in the upper 30s in Edmonton, Alberta. That's nearly 20 degrees above average!

Temps are colder as you move north, but you have to go all the way into northern reaches of Canada near the Arctic Circle to find temps in the single digits above and below zero. It is usually in the -20s and -30s by this time in December.

There is colder air in northern Russia, but the northern hemisphere 850 millibar chart shows a much smaller area of sub zero air than I can recall in years past.

Northern Hempisphere 850 millibar (5,000 feet above ground) map shows relatively little blue, or sub zero temps.

I wish I had a neat explanation as to why, but I don't. For some reason there is a remarkable lack of seasonably cold air in the northern hemisphere this December.

40s again by Christmas Day?

We've talked about how Santa may need to bust out the sleigh with rollerblades this year, and now it looks like he may get by with the light jacket.

The latest indications are that another batch of mild Pacific air may spill over the northern Rockies just in time for Christmas Day and the 26th.

High could reach the upper 30s to around 40 degrees again in the "snowless areas" of Minnesota.

What a wild year!

PH