Record-Breaking Warmth on Santa's List for Central and Southern U.S.

It could be a record-breaking Christmas for millions of Americans as a winter heat wave spreads over much of the central and southern U.S. Here is a look at just how toasty it is expected to get over the holiday.

Potential Record Warmth Spreading Over Central U.S.

The unseasonably cold air that has distinguished most of the month of December is retreating to the north, ushering in a much warmer weather pattern. While the higher terrains of the western U.S. and the extreme northern parts of the country will remain bitterly cold, it will feel more like spring for others.

An expansive bubble of warm temperatures is forecast to build over the south-central U.S. this week. Forecasters are predicting that some communities could see new daily high records set on both Christmas Eve and Christmas Day as the warmth expands. Rather than having to pull out coats and scarves, many holiday revelers will be able to get by with short sleeves.

A northward bulge in the jet stream over the central U.S. will bring up warm air from the Gulf in the days ahead. This is in sharp contrast to the weather from the past few weeks, when a breakdown of the polar vortex sent Arctic air spilling to the south from Canada and as far south as Florida.