Watch for Falling Records

Posted December 10, 2007 4:32 p.m. EST
Updated December 10, 2007 5:52 p.m. EST

By Nate Johnson

The calendar says it's December, but Mother Nature is having none of that!

Today's high of 81° at RDU shattered the old record high temperature of 72°, set in 1972. It also set the all-time record high for the entire month of December, breaking the previous record of 80°, set on the 7th and 8th of December 1998.

A very summerlike pattern has taken hold across the southeast, thanks to an area of high pressure centered around the island of Bermuda. Frequent weather watchers may recall that a "Bermuda High" is a common feature around these parts during the summertime. It's showing up out of season, and the results are following suit. Temperatures more akin to what we expect in May were the rule today, and more of the same is in the forecast through mid-week.

Here's a look at the record high temperatures for RDU through Friday, as well as the WRAL forecast highs for the same days. If the forecast verifies, we'll break at least three records at RDU this week:

High Temperatures (RDU)
RDU	Tue 12/11	Wed 12/12	Thu 12/13	Fri 12/14
Record	72° (1971)	74° (1996)	75° (1956)	73° (2001)
Forecast	80°	77°	70°	79°

We're also seeing record territory in Wilmington. Today's high of 78° was good enough to tie the current record set in 1966, and more record warmth is on the way:

High Temperatures (Wilmington)
ILM	Tue 12/11	Wed 12/12	Thu 12/13	Fri 12/14
Record	77° (1985)	79° (1931)	80° (1956)	79° (1956)
Forecast	78°	79°	77°	70°

Cold weather lovers, fear not: a series of cold fronts and a significant pattern shift could bring temperatures back to below normal levels by this weekend.

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