USA National Forecast

The Christmas Present That Arrived Early And Just Won't Leave: A Continued US Heat Wave

As temperatures continue to soar across the country, hundreds more records could fall during this Christmas week warmup.

NYPD Saves Three In Icy Water Rescue

I hope Santa packed water for the reindeer ahead of their big ride, because it was a hot one, and Christmas Day ended up being the warmest on record for millions.

But the record warmth didn't wait until Christmas. That present has long been opened. On Monday, all-time December heat records were tied or set in Lubbock, Texas (85 degrees); North Platte, Nebraska (78 degrees); and Tucson, Arizona (85 degrees). Over 100 stations broke their record highs on Tuesday, with Tuesday daily records being tied or broken in cities like Dallas (82 degrees), Shreveport (83 degrees), Houston (81 degrees) and Springfield, MO (73 degrees).

Multiple cities reached the milestone of warmest Christmas on record across the U.S., including Oklahoma City; Albuquerque, NM; Tulsa, OK; Salt Lake City, UT; Bozeman, MT and El Paso, TX.

The record-breaking heat is concentrating over the Central and Southern Plains and the Southeast for the weekend, allowing some cities to cool off a bit as the weekend progresses.

This Christmas thaw was the reason many areas that usually count on a white Christmas were left with bare ground this year.

(MORE: Who Had A White Christmas In 2025)

What Caused The Warmup

The unusual warmth is being driven by a strong ridge of high pressure stretching across the central U.S., acting like a lid in the atmosphere. That ridge allows mild air from the South and Southwest to expand northward while keeping colder Arctic air locked well to the north, a setup more typical of spring than late December.

While this spring-like pattern dominated Christmas Day, it won’t last forever. Models are suggesting colder air is likely to return in the days after the holiday, giving us another dose of weather whiplash.

For now, though, the only thing frozen in many places this Christmas, may be the eggnog.

(MAPS: 10-Day US Forecast Highs/Lows)

Jennifer Gray is a weather and climate writer for weather.com. She has been covering some of the world's biggest weather and climate stories for the last two decades.