Roller Coaster of Temperatures for the Southern U.S. as Heat Builds

Mother Nature has taken the southern U.S. on quite a ride over the last week. Just days after a deep chill gripped much of the region, record-breaking high temperatures are spreading across the southern Plains and the Southeast. Read on for a detailed look at this weather whiplash.

Heat Wave Replaces Arctic Chill in the South

A rare November heat wave is becoming more entrenched over a large swath of the South, coming during the same week that also brought record-breaking low temperatures. The roller coaster ride started early last week when over 80 record low readings were broken. A pronounced southward dip in the jet stream paved the way for Arctic air to dive as far as the Deep South. Normally temperate places such as Macon, Georgia, saw a century-old record fall when the mercury landed at 25 degrees.

The cold air mass exited as quickly as it arrived, giving way to unseasonably warm temperatures across the southern Plains and the Southeast. Hundreds of records related to the heat were broken over the weekend.

For example, Lubbock, Texas; Flagstaff, Arizona; and Albuquerque have all experienced their warmest start to November in recorded history after the warmth this weekend. Temperatures felt more like late spring for these areas.