Paducah, KY – A very warm Christmas week is shaping up across western Kentucky and the lower Ohio Valley, with near-record temperatures expected to peak on Christmas Day, according to the National Weather Service in Paducah.
Forecasters say temperatures will start near seasonal levels today before climbing steadily well above normal for the remainder of the week. The warmest day is expected to be Thursday, Christmas Day, when several locations could challenge daily record highs and potentially set record warm overnight lows.
Across western Kentucky, southern Illinois, southeast Missouri, and southwest Indiana, Christmas Day high temperatures are forecast to reach the upper 60s to low 70s, compared to typical late-December highs in the low to mid-40s. Overnight lows will also remain unusually mild, with many locations staying in the upper 40s to low 50s, increasing the likelihood of record warm minimum temperatures.
Rain chances during the week remain limited, with the highest probability for showers Monday evening into early Tuesday. After that system moves through, conditions are expected to turn mostly dry, supporting favorable holiday travel conditions.
Cities including Paducah, Cape Girardeau, Evansville, Owensboro, Madisonville, and Mount Vernon are all expected to experience well-above-normal warmth as the holiday approaches.
Meteorologists note that while the warmth is significant, it does not signal the end of winter, and colder air could still return later in January.
Residents across McCracken County, Daviess County, Henderson County, and surrounding parts of the lower Ohio Valley are encouraged to stay updated as Christmas Day approaches and enjoy the unusually mild holiday weather responsibly.
