December is likely going to turn out to be the warmest month on record in Minnesota.
Minnesota's State Climatologist Pete Boulay says it will definitely be the warmest December since 1895, but we might break an ever more extreme record from 20 years earlier.
"The trick is if you go back a little further in time, to 1877, that's a higher bar to reach and it might be a photo finish in some places like the Twin Cities," Boulay explains. "But in 1877, 33.8 degrees for an average temperature for December. That's the one that we're watching to see if we break it. It'll be very close. We'll have to see how the last few days turn out."
Minnesota also had the warmest Christmas Day on record this year when the temperature rose to 54 degrees.
This pattern, driven by a supercharged El Niño, is expected to continue into the new year. WCCO Chief Meteorologist Paul Douglas says the long range European model continues to call for above average temperatures.
"This El Niño pattern will probably be with us most of the winter, starting to fade next spring," Douglas said.
Boulay says very weird things are happening that Minnesotans are not used to seeing, such as a massive rainstorm over Christmas.
"It's very unusual for winter, to have water actually go into the ground," he says. "And lakes are still open. There's lots of things going on that have an impact on what we're seeing on the landscape. Open water, no frost on the ground, even the grass looks a little green. Lots of things going on out there for sure."
Douglas says eventually, it will snow and get cold. But this is far from a typical Minnesota winter all the way into 2024.