Above Average Temperatures Gone by Christmas

Thaw, be gone! Winter will make a return this week as above average temperatures are pushed out of the area by Christmas Day.

Long Island and the entire eastern seaboard have been feeling the effects of a low-pressure system centered over the southeastern United States, blasting warm air back up the coast from the tropics.

The result has been obvious – high temperatures in the 60's in December, when average temperatures end up around 43 degrees. December also had seen three snowfalls and temperatures near-or-below freezing for nearly a week before the warm-up.

Don't get the shorts out just yet though – the thaw will be gone before you know it. Monday's high of 54 will be accompanied by rain preceding another cold front and temperatures will begin to plummet as the sun goes down with a low of 32 degrees on Monday night.

Tuesday could even bring Long Island a slight chance for, you guessed it, snow on Christmas Eve as temperatures hover in the mid-30's.

By Christmas Day, high temperatures will again struggle to reach above freezing as winter begins to tighten its grip on the area.

The week following Christmas looks mostly clear, with a more seasonal feel with temperatures in the lower 40's throughout the holiday week.