Looking Ahead at Late December Forecast in North Texas
By Rick Mitchell ••
It's still early December, but many North Texans are thinking about Christmas week and what the weather may bring.
Some folks would enjoy some magical Christmas snow and cold. Others would prefer something more mild and tranquil.
The overall winter forecast for North Texas is for it to be warmer and drier than average. This forecast is based on this being a La Nina winter, where the jet stream pattern is influenced by cooler-than-normal water temperatures in the Pacific Ocean along the equator off the coast of South America.
Of course, even La Nina winters can have bursts of cold and wintry weather in between the mild and dry periods.
EFE
NBC 5 News
Snow fell along the Texas Gulf Coast Friday morning. It has been 13 years since Corpus Christi had measurable snow.
Dave Phillips
San Marcos Snowman
Alice Allen
San Antonio
Alice Allen
San Antonio
Anthony Truglio
Kingwood, Texas
Anthony Truglio
Kingwood, Texas
Ashley French Kontnier
Kyle, Texas
Ashley French Kontnier
Kyle, Texas
Candi Pietsch Andrews
Seguin, Texas
Danielle Oliver
San Antonio
Elizabeth Rozyskie
San Antonio
Emily Starnes
Ivy Koehler Meehan
Austin
Jackie Fishbeck Horras
San Antonio
Jackie Fishbeck Horras
San Antonio
Jamie Riodan
San Antonio
Jessica Clark
San Antonio
Jon'Nae Jackson
Houston
Keisha Ray
San Marcos, Texas
Keisha Ray
San Marcos, Texas
Kellie Beason Garcia
Bryan, Texas
Lawrence Allen
San Antonio
Lawrence Allen
San Antonio
Mary Ellen Potter
Seguin, Texas
Lexie Houghtaling
NBC 5's Lexie Houghtaling said her family's dog, Moose, has been up all morning playing in the snow.
Heinz, Tammy D
Austin, Texas
Cindy Gaither
Enjoying her first snow: "This is Tricky, my daughter Nicole’s dog. Nicole is a 4th year Veterinary student at Texas A&M. She texted me this photo from her house there."
Heinz, Tammy D
Austin
Rodney Dunn
The Houston Blizzard of 2017!
This is in San Benito, Texas. RIGHT by the border!!
Snow in Kingwood
Kingwood, Texas
Kingwood, Texas
J Jack
Houston Snow Jon'Nae Jackson Houston, TX
J Jack
Houston Snow Jon'Nae Jackson Houston, TX
J Jack
Houston Snow Jon'Nae Jackson Houston, TX
Beverly Crouch
South TX snow picture My grandson sent this picture of his dog enjoying the snow in Corpus Christi this morning.... Beverly crouch Mansfield Tx
LaTashia Coleman
Snow in Smyrna Georgia - The Village at Lake Park Snow in the Neighborhood - Casper’s Snow Day
LaTashia Coleman
Snow in Smyrna - The Village At Lake Park Snow in the neighborhood - Beautiful
So what does it all mean for late December into early January? Well, the forecast from the Climate Prediction Center, a branch of NOAA, for Dec. 23 through Jan. 5 calls for above -normal temperatures and below-normal precipitation for North Texas.
A more active weather pattern is likely to be found from the Northern Plains, through the Midwest and into the Northeastern United States. Holiday travelers in those areas may need to have extra patience in getting to their destinations.
If a mild and dry Christmas is not what you want, I have seen at least one long-range computer model that suggests colder-than-average temperatures for late December here in North Texas. In both cases, these outlooks can change in the coming weeks.
