Christmas Warmth Now, Sharp Cooldown Ahead: What to Know This Week

If it feels more like spring than late December, you’re not imagining things. Across Rowan, Davie, and Davidson counties, temperatures are running well above normal for Christmas week — but that warmth won’t last.

Here’s how the pattern unfolds and what it means locally.

Christmas Week: Unseasonably Warm

High pressure aloft is allowing mild air to dominate the Carolinas, bringing daytime highs into the upper 60s and low 70s through Christmas and into the weekend. For context, typical highs this time of year are closer to the low 50s.

• Christmas Day: Partly to mostly sunny, highs near 70–71°

• Winds: Light overall, with occasional gusts Christmas Day

• Overall feel: More April than December

This setup isn’t common, but it does happen when strong ridging parks itself over the Southeast.

Late Week: Clouds & Spotty Rain

As we head into Thursday night and Friday, the weather turns a bit more unsettled.

• Increasing cloud cover

• Scattered light rain chances, mainly Friday morning

• Rain chances stay low (20–30%)

• Cooler highs Friday in the low 50s

This won’t be a washout — most locations see little, if any rainfall — but it marks the beginning of a transition.

Weekend: One More Warm Push

Before winter reasserts itself, we squeeze out another round of warmth:

• Saturday: Mostly sunny, highs near 70–71°

• Sunday: Mostly cloudy, highs in the mid-60s

• Late Sunday night: Rain chances increase slightly

If you’re spending time outdoors or traveling, Saturday looks like the pick of the weekend.

Early Next Week: Winter Returns Fast

The big headline comes early next week, when a strong cold front brings a dramatic pattern change.

• Temperatures drop 30 degrees or more compared to the weekend

• Cold air spills south from Canada

• Highs fall below normal, with chilly mornings returning

In short: don’t let Christmas weather fool you. Winter is very much still on the calendar.

Bottom Line

• Enjoy the warm Christmas and weekend weather

• Expect only minor rain chances late week

• Prepare for a sharp cooldown early next week

If you’ve delayed winter prep because of the warmth, early next week will be a reminder that December isn’t done yet.