Mid-November is shaping up to be unseasonably warm for more than a few days. A record high temperature of 80 degrees came under threat of being broken Wednesday. Alex Vorst is a meteorologist in the Jackson National Weather Service Office. He said the long-term forecast for November through January calls for slightly above-normal temperatures. But Vorst said that doesn’t rule out wintry weather.
“Maybe three or four degrees warmer on average for the winter and let’s say your average temperature for the winter is 32 degrees and what’s 35 or 36 degrees average over three months really mean,” said Vorst.
Vorst said the El Nino effect, the warming of waters in the Pacific, can mean warmer and drier conditions for a state like Kentucky. But, Vorst said he and his fellow weather specialists were recalling a massive 18-inch snowfall event six to seven years ago during an El Nino.
A really warm Kentucky day in November may not be an indicator of climate change. Still, Vorst said temperature readings way higher than normal can still pop up on unlikely dates.
“Climate’s a period of months, years, decades whereas weather is hours, days, and up to a week,” said Vorst.
An impending cold front contributed to a northerly flow of warm air. Vorst noted the front will cool temps for a few days, but they are expected to rise into the mid-60s next week.
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