Record-breaking warmth for Christmas in Belleville? Check the latest forecast
Metro-east residents who prefer a warmer holiday are in luck — the odds are now slim to none for a white Christmas in the Belleville area.
Although the greater St. Louis area saw the third-snowiest start to winter on record this year, conditions have changed, and the likelihood of at least an inch of snow on the ground Christmas morning has significantly decreased.
“We’re looking at warming temperatures going into next week,” Melissa Delia, meteorologist with the National Weather Service St. Louis office, said in a Dec. 18 interview with the News-Democrat.
The historical probability of a white Christmas in the metro-east is 11 to 25%, but high temperatures for Christmas Day are currently expected to reach the upper 60s, potentially into the low 70s in Belleville.
“We’re not going to see a snowy, white Christmas this year,” Delia said.
There’s a chance Belleville could break its record for the warmest Christmas Day, set in 1889 at 71 degrees Fahrenheit, Delia said, though it’s not guaranteed.
The average high temperature for Christmas Day in the city is about 44 degrees, and warmer-than-usual temperatures are expected to last until around the weekend after Christmas, Satuday, Dec. 27 to Sunday, Dec. 28.
If you’re looking to take advantage of the warm Christmas weather, you can check out local festive light displays or cross the river to stroll through a popular Christmas town.
What’s the upcoming forecast for Belleville?
Here’s the latest forecast for Belleville, from the NWS:
- Friday, Dec. 19: Temperatures from 33 to 40 degrees, with sunny skies during the day and partly cloudy conditions at night
- Saturday, Dec. 20: Temperatures from 28 to 56 degrees, with mostly sunny skies in the day and partly cloudy skies at night
- Sunday, Dec. 21: Temperatures from 29 to 44 degrees, with mostly sunny skies in the day and mostly cloudy skies at night
- Monday, Dec. 22: Temperatures from 41 to 47 degrees, with partly sunny skies during the day and mostly cloudy skies at night
- Tuesday, Dec. 23: Temperatures from 48 to 60 degrees, with partly sunny skies during the day and mostly cloudy skies at night
AccuWeather’s forecast goes out further than the weather service’s, and the company forecasts a warm Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. Belleville residents can expect temperatures from 51 to 61 degrees Christmas Eve with a passing shower, AccuWeather reports, while Christmas Day will see temperatures from 34 to 59 degrees, with showers possible in the evening.
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