(Area) Rod Donavon with the National Weather Service in Des Moines says the above-average temperatures are here to stay at least through mid-December. The average high for Atlantic for this time of year is 39-degrees. The average low is 20-degrees.
Donavon says an active storm track from the North Pacific, across the Canadian Prairies, into the northeastern U.S. keeps temperatures warm in Iowa. “This is a typical pattern for these clippers,” said Donavon. “The upper-level flow is driving those storm systems to our north. When those clippers move north, all of the cold air with stay north, leaving Iowa in a westerly flow causing warmer than normal temperatures as these front move across the area.”
Donavon says temperatures will cool late in the week. Still, the eight-to-14-day weather pattern remains warmer than usual.“Maybe not the extremely high temperatures we currently have, but certainly in the 40-degree range, and a few 50’s at times,” said Donavon. “Overall, it’s looking warm, with not a lot of winter precipitation through this time frame.”
Monday’s temperature in the Atlantic area topped out near the mid-60’a. The mercury will reach the mid-50’s today, with a chance for a scattered shower.
