Expect more of the same up and down temperatures in South Dakota for the rest of December and into January, according to a new forecast.
Review of the new, long-range climate outlooks released from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center indicate that the wide variability in temperature swings of fall and winter are likely to continue.
Also, the potential for a weak El Niño lingers, says Dennis Todey, South Dakota state climatologist and SDSU Extension climate specialist.
"Weather conditions over the state have seen some large temperature shifts," Todey said, referencing the warm October, early cold in November and average December climate conditions.
According to new outlooks, Todey said colder than average conditions once again look to cover the region from late December into at least the first few weeks of January.
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"The eight to 14-day outlooks and other computer models are consistent in bringing a cold push across the area into the early part of January as the jet stream pattern shifts again to build a ridge of high pressure along the west coast and allow more cold air into the middle part of the country," Todey said.
The full 30-day outlook for January is not as confident that cold temperatures will linger throughout entire state.
"Indications that colder-than-average temperatures will linger for the whole 30-day period is only likely across the southern part of South Dakota and into Nebraska," Todey said.
