As we close in on the official start of winter Dec. 21, there’s little cold to be found across the Lower 48. The first of two surges of warmth has set records across Texas and parts of the South already. Dozens more records are possible Friday and Saturday, ahead of a powerful storm system triggering severe thunderstorms as it pushes east.

After only a brief break to start next week, warmth is set to build in again. By Tuesday, a new round of records is likely across the Southern Plains, expanding into the Midwest and Eastern states during the second half of the week. Some records could be set by large margins. In parts of the Midwest, temperatures could be as much as 40 degrees above normal, approaching their highest temperatures observed during December.
Current warmth

Dozens of records are slated to be tied or topped Friday and Saturday ahead of a cold front sweeping east. Friday’s record-challenging warmth is centered over the south-central United States. On Saturday, the record warmth will stretch to the East Coast with a focus on parts of the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast.

Thursday featured record highs Houston, Brownsville and Laredo, where maximum temperatures of 87, 88 and 89 occurred, respectively.

The 87-degree high at Houston’s William P. Hobby Airport was also the warmest December high temperature on record for the city, surpassing the previous monthly mark of 85, set in 1933.

Many of the same spots are likely to see record or near-record highs Friday. Oklahoma City may top its daily record of 75 from 1996. Dallas’s record of 84 could also fall. Farther east, record highs in Memphis and New Orleans are also among those at risk of falling.

Along the Texas-Mexico border region, readings may reach the sweltering low 90s in places like Laredo.

The anomalous warmth is also fueling a significant severe weather threat Friday evening into Friday night. Tornadoes, some which could be strong, are a possibility across parts of the mid-South and surrounding areas Friday night. A moderate risk, or Level 4 of 5, has been issued by the Weather Service for portions of the area.