ORLANDO, Fla. – For Central Florida, the party we’ve enjoyed of picture-perfect weather will shift to one of the big pattern changes, and it all begins Thanksgiving.
Orlando has been running through a long dry spell with bright skies and comfortable afternoons. The same front that will cool much of the East will drag a wide band of rain and storms across the peninsula late in the week, likely on Nov. 27. This major weather shakeup will arrive in stages with a series of sharp cold fronts and unstable warm fronts, stirring up storms.
Severe storms will be possible in early December too, but mostly in the Midwest and South.
Before the tumult begins, the first act is now, as a strong ridge of warm air that pushes spring-like temperatures into much of the East just before Thanksgiving. Places from Texas to the Carolinas may end up ten to twenty degrees above what is normal for late November. This means 70s and 80s in places where 50s and 60s would be expected. It is a warm-up that feels more like early April than the holiday season.
Weather cooldown
The second act is the switch. A powerful cold front dives out of Canada as the holiday ends, dragging a wide line of rain and thunderstorms across the Southeast and the Midwest. Behind that front the air turns sharply colder. Many cities will drop more than fifteen degrees below normal, and the chill will be felt from Chicago to Atlanta and down into Florida.
Third, we shed the jackets for a third switch back to warm weather in early December! Temps will surge back into the 80s, making it feel like Springtime.
Other weather changes in December
Finally, the fourth stage of weather changes comes during the second week of December, when an enviable cold front combines with jet stream energy, potentially leading to big thunderstorms and tornadoes from Missouri to the Carolinas around the second week of December.
For anyone traveling or planning outdoor holiday events, the message is simple: The easy weather that carried us through most of November is ending, and the atmosphere is shifting into a more dramatic winter pattern as December begins. You’ll probably be fine on your way to your destination, but stay close to the forecast for potential delays on the way home.
The Source: This story was written based off information shared by the FOX 35 Storm Team.