Quad Cities, IA/IL — A stretch of changing temperatures will carry the Quad Cities through the weekend before Christmas, before a sustained warming trend settles in early next week, offering favorable conditions for holiday travel.
According to the National Weather Service Quad Cities, Saturday, December 20, will start out mild for late December, with temperatures generally holding steady through the day. Highs are expected to range from around 34 degrees north to near 44 degrees south, accompanied by breezy conditions. Overnight lows will dip sharply into the low teens to low 20s, marking a cold start to Sunday.
On Sunday, cooler air settles in under sunny skies. High temperatures are forecast to range from 26 to 40 degrees, with overnight lows falling into the upper teens to upper 20s. Despite the chill, dry conditions will continue, limiting travel impacts.
The pattern begins to shift on Monday, when temperatures rebound into the upper 30s to upper 40s, signaling the start of a broader warming trend. By Tuesday, highs are expected to climb into the low 40s to low 50s, followed by even milder conditions on Wednesday, when some locations could reach the mid to upper 50s, and possibly near 60 degrees.
Forecasters say the warming trend is expected to hold through much of the Christmas week, with little to no widespread precipitation anticipated. While brief flurries or light drizzle cannot be ruled out at times, no significant weather disruptions are currently forecast.
The National Weather Service notes that the combination of milder temperatures and dry conditions should result in good travel weather across the Quad Cities region as holiday traffic increases.
Residents are encouraged to prepare for cold nights this weekend, then plan for a noticeably milder feel as Christmas approaches.
