Winter 'heat wave' continues / LJWorld.com

Archive for Wednesday, December 29, 2004

December 29, 2004

More unusually warm temperatures and sunny skies are expected today -- and a winter "heat wave" will continue for the next few days.

"It says winter on the calendar but not really -- it's going to feel more like spring today," said Tim Reith, 6News meteorologist.

Latest forecast

Today's temperatures were starting out in the mid 20s about 8:30 a.m. and the National Weather Service had posted a dense fog advisory until 10 a.m. Fog was expected mostly in low-lying areas in northeast Kansas, including Douglas, Leavenworth, Wyandotte and Osage counties. Visibility was expected to drop to less than a fourth of a mile in some areas.

However, the temperature was expected to rise to 54 by noon and reach a high of 62 by late afternoon under mostly sunny skies, Reith said.

"We are calling it a heat wave because it is very rare that we have temperatures this high at this time of the year," Reith said. The average high for this date is 39. The record high was 69 in 1984.

Tonight, clouds will roll in from the north, bringing a chance for some rain overnight. Most of the rain will be to the north in Iowa, Wisconsin and Minnesota, Reith said. The National Weather Service says there's a 20 percent chance of rain in the Lawrence area overnight.

Another warm day is expected Thursday, with the morning low starting out at 47, Reith said.

"We will continue to be mild on Thursday and will see temperatures all the way up to 66 degrees," Reith said. But it will be windy, with southwest winds 20 to 30 mph and gusts up to 40 mph, according to the National Weather Service.

The warm weather continues on Friday, with the low Friday morning of 35 and Friday's afternoon high reaching 61 under partly sunny skies. Friday night's New Year's Eve celebrations will see the temperature drop into the lower 40s, with a 20 percent chance of rain, according to the National Weather Service.