Dreaming of an 80-degree Christmas in Jacksonville? It could be a long road this year

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Could visions of highs in the 80s be predicted for Jacksonville this Christmas? This has happened before, but don’t count on it this year.

Tuesday could be Jacksonville’s last gasp for an 80-degree day in December. As we approach the holiday season, temperatures are expected to dip into the high 70s – pleasant, but a far cry from the warm few Decembers we’ve been gifted recently.

A big cold since last month

November treated us to an average temperature of 5.5 degrees above normal and a whopping 16 days of 80 degrees or more. However, this December was more like a cold snap, as all but two days were colder than usual. We’ve even had five freezes and never reached 80 on any day!

So is an 80 degree day in December a rare bird?

It’s definitely becoming rarer. While decades have passed since an entire winter has not missed a single 80-degree day, this December’s cold is in stark contrast to the warming trend we’ve seen in recent years.

But how about a warm Christmas?

It’s not impossible! In Jacksonville, temperatures reached 80 degrees or higher on five Christmas holidays. The warmest was in 2015 with a pleasant 82 degrees, followed by 81 degrees in 2008 and 1984.

While December’s cold may seem like a departure from the warming trend, it’s important to remember that global warming has resulted in milder winters overall. Looking back to 1938, the average number of 80-degree days in December has increased, reaching a record 28 days last year.

Although a 30-degree Christmas in Jacksonville is still a long way off this year, the possibility of warmer winters in the future is our goal.