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Pattern December Doldrums 2025 🎄 ❄️

The fog is extremely thick here in northern Spartanburg county. The drive home on Highway 11 from a family dinner was rough. The perk of the thick fog and it already getting down to 32 is it makes the Christmas lights really pop at night. My outside of house already looked like Christmas threw up on it, but it’s even brighter than usual tonight
 
Currently living the dream with some of the thickest fog I’ve seen in a while, very light icing already happening on colder areas on thin tree branches and leaves. Can barely type this as the supercooled water droplets collide with my hands and make my fingers very cold. Fingers crossed for magical rime ice beauty tomorrow morning.IMG_2168.jpeg
 
What do you all think of all 3 major ensembles showing a warm up Christmas week?


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Brother. I mean this respectfully. And it sounds cliche as heck because we all say it non stop, but just focus on 7 days out ahead of us for now. I think many are wired to be negative because of past disappointments & rug pulls. You see it run rampant on Twitter.

But to give you my take. At some point, the trend to lose warm ups over & over again will be end just like all trends do. But the trend right now is to lose long range warm ups in the medium range. So yeh, I see the ridge the size of Jupiter at the end of the EPS, but it’s hard to take it very serious right now.
 
What do you all think of all 3 major ensembles showing a warm up Christmas week?


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Welcome aboard.

Models have been showing this for weeks. I think there might have been a post or two about it over the last month or so.
 
What do you all think of all 3 major ensembles showing a warm up Christmas week?


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Why do you keep mentioning models showing warm ups 2 weeks out? You literally were posting the same thing about a mid month warm up just last weekend. There have been multiple posts made and videos posted my pro mets on here explaining why the models, including ensembles, have been having trouble past 7-10 days.
 
8ef998801a0a868ec6b37ce932eedfe4.png

d08cc4e51c1cd097cd309936eb7d02ae.png

The Euro suite continues to solidly stay in phase 8


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8ef998801a0a868ec6b37ce932eedfe4.png

d08cc4e51c1cd097cd309936eb7d02ae.png

The Euro suite continues to solidly stay in phase 8


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I know there’s alot of other factors, but maybe someone can explain if this is to happen, is it even possible for a SE ridge to appear at all at the end of December? I’m sure the models are going to be playing catchup in this situation just like they have been all fall.
 
I know there’s alot of other factors, but maybe someone can explain if this is to happen, is it even possible for a SE ridge to appear at all at the end of December? I’m sure the models are going to be playing catchup in this situation just like they have been all fall.
Yeah, there are other factors that could overwhelm the pattern, but I'm not seeing any major changes happening anywhere that would lead me to believe a different outcome should be expected this time. If the MJO does not behave in the way the Euro suite suggests, then that might be a problem. Also, the SPV doesn't look to stay anchored over SE Canada like it's been, so that could be an issue too. But honestly, I don't know if that is really that big of a deal. BAM mentioned it in his video, supporting his case for cool weather in the eastern US. Some of the models move it away, out in time. But again, I don't know if that is really a big deal or not.
 
Which are y’all going with for Saturday’s low?
The GFS sticks out as much colder than the others at ATL with upper teens there, which tells me it’s likely too cold there. It has had a cold bias over snowcover in recent years (which is well above average in the Midwest). That’s probably a factor as I don’t know that that has been fixed:

6Z GFS: pipe busting cold with upper teens ATL/RDU: likely too cold
IMG_5964.png

0Z Euro: slower with the cold and thus is much warmer on Sat AM with upper 30s: likely too warm though it has 20s the subsequent few days:
IMG_5968.png

0Z ICON: mid 20s RDU to upper 20s ATL: looks like a reasonable middleground:
IMG_5966.png

0Z CMC: coldest at RDU with mid teens (CMC has a well-known cold bias) though only down to mid 20s ATL:
IMG_5965.png

0Z UKMET has only down to low 30s though it has a warm bias/very likely too warm though it is headed for 20s on Sunday:
IMG_5967.png
 
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I'll go with the CMC since it's a compromise between the EMCF and GFS. Notably, the ICON and GFS have backed off from yesterday's extreme 12Z, for now.
 
The biggest story in the southeast will be drought. Little to no rain in sight for the next 2 weeks for many of us. I'm afraid we are in for a 1986 repeat when the drought in the southeast made national headlines. Much worse than 1993 ,2002, and 2007.
You should start a cactus farm
 
I know there’s alot of other factors, but maybe someone can explain if this is to happen, is it even possible for a SE ridge to appear at all at the end of December? I’m sure the models are going to be playing catchup in this situation just like they have been all fall.
Yep. Its easy to bake in this pattern, we may not, but slam dunk cold forecasts are ignoring obvious fail points
 
Is there any pattern we don’t have potential to bake lol
Not many. We can almost always bake around here, and there are always any number of small changes can alter the pattern into an unfavorable state. If the MJO turns out to be modeled wrong or the stratosphere becomes uncooperative, then we could have problems. Those are the two biggest flies, IMO.
 
Not many. We can almost always bake around here, and there are always any number of small changes can alter the pattern into an unfavorable state. If the MJO turns out to be modeled wrong or the stratosphere becomes uncooperative, then we could have problems. Those are the two biggest flies, IMO.
Maybe because the MJO is weakening? It's headed in the circle, even though it's phase 8. So I wouldn't doubt the warmup past mid month is right. Probably hard pressed to find a period longer than 3 or 2 weeks of consistent below average temps around here. And we'll be approaching that 3 week mark just after mid month. A flip is inevitable. Unfortunately it'll be for the holidays most likely. Hopefully it wont last long and we can get another opportunity during peak climo. Not any scientific reasoning behind that. Just what usually happens. I remember New Year's 2011 was close to 70. Right between the Christmas snow and the Jan 2011 event. 2013/2014 had plenty of big warm periods too
 
Is there any pattern we don’t have potential to bake lol
Yes last 10 days are a good example of how ee don't bake. We do this in every Nina big pacific into ak ridges, amplitude and axis have a huge impact on the steam pattern with dramatic differences. If the ridge in the west stays where it's modeled in he 5-10 day period we likely end up with late Dec 17 into early Jan 18 cold. Retrograding will cause some type of ridge response in the US and unfortunately that seems most likely right now. The good thing is I personally believe the cold and snow potential pattern comes back after this "break"
 
I think both sides can be true. Yes, the models have been correcting to more ridging in the SW and more troughing in the NE as we get closer in, but I'd rather have better looks on the modeling in the longer range.

Some thoughts looking ahead...

The MJO / Kelvin Wave convective signal in green here flares up in the Indo-Pacific at the beginning of the loop and thru next week, before clearing out as we lead into Christmas week (this is consistent across the modeling)

Nov 7 VP.gif


I don't particularly like the Euro BC MJO plot because it tends to show too low amplitude (especially in 4-5-6-7), but I do think this is the best representation of what we are going to see on this MJO RMM plot going forward. The pending slowdown in 8 is this interference situation going on over the next week, then the forward progress continues in low amp thru phase 8 and 1 the rest of Dec - that's consistent with the convective maps above.

Dec 7 Euro BC.png


On the negative side, the E Asia situation hasn't seen any improvements. Here is the GWO (Global Wind Oscillation) chart - yay, another oscillation!

Dec 7 GWO Current.png


Can see here where we are on the left-hand side is moving toward the -MtnTorq phase (1). My guess is that this will rotate back around toward the +MtnTorq phase (5) as we push toward late Dec which we could use more of to add more momentum in the Pac Jet and help with getting increased -EPO / +PNA ridging


Dec 7 GWO.png


So...

Positives going into Christmas week:
1 - MJO progression
2 - Timing will be post SPV weakening / stretching / reflective event which favors NPac Ridging / E of Rockies cold
3 - Model tendency for too much SE ridging
4 - Models are wanting to build Scandi - Urals ridging in the medium range (believe SD pointed this out the other day). That helps with Wave 2 weakening of the SPV and with ridging of course into the Arctic. Anything we can do to prevent a big blue ball of ++AO is a good thing.
5 - Snowpack to the north

Negatives going into Christmas week:
1 - Longer range model output doesn't look very good
2 - Going thru a period of weak EAsiaMtn Torque
3 - Climatology not great in Dec, but improves everyday as we go along and into Jan with respect to longer, broader wave lengths across the CONUS / farther south storm track / colder temperatures
 
I think both sides can be true. Yes, the models have been correcting to more ridging in the SW and more troughing in the NE as we get closer in, but I'd rather have better looks on the modeling in the longer range.

Some thoughts looking ahead...

The MJO / Kelvin Wave convective signal in green here flares up in the Indo-Pacific at the beginning of the loop and thru next week, before clearing out as we lead into Christmas week (this is consistent across the modeling)

View attachment 178368


I don't particularly like the Euro BC MJO plot because it tends to show too low amplitude (especially in 4-5-6-7), but I do think this is the best representation of what we are going to see on this MJO RMM plot going forward. The pending slowdown in 8 is this interference situation going on over the next week, then the forward progress continues in low amp thru phase 8 and 1 the rest of Dec - that's consistent with the convective maps above.

View attachment 178370


On the negative side, the E Asia situation hasn't seen any improvements. Here is the GWO (Global Wind Oscillation) chart - yay, another oscillation!

View attachment 178372


Can see here where we are on the left-hand side is moving toward the -MtnTorq phase (1). My guess is that this will rotate back around toward the +MtnTorq phase (5) as we push toward late Dec which we could use more of to add more momentum in the Pac Jet and help with getting increased -EPO / +PNA ridging


View attachment 178373


So...

Positives going into Christmas week:
1 - MJO progression
2 - Timing will be post SPV weakening / stretching / reflective event which favors NPac Ridging / E of Rockies cold
3 - Model tendency for too much SE ridging
4 - Models are wanting to build Scandi - Urals ridging in the medium range (believe SD pointed this out the other day). That helps with Wave 2 weakening of the SPV and with ridging of course into the Arctic. Anything we can do to prevent a big blue ball of ++AO is a good thing.
5 - Snowpack to the north

Negatives going into Christmas week:
1 - Longer range model output doesn't look very good
2 - Going thru a period of weak EAsiaMtn Torque
3 - Climatology not great in Dec, but improves everyday as we go along and into Jan with respect to longer, broader wave lengths across the CONUS / farther south storm track / colder temperatures
The pac jet retraction may be the only thing that's keeping us from an all timer going into Christmas imo, which sucks but them are the breaks. I agree with you we should see momentum added back to the pac jet after Christmas and we will have a decent window to score.
 
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I think both sides can be true. Yes, the models have been correcting to more ridging in the SW and more troughing in the NE as we get closer in, but I'd rather have better looks on the modeling in the longer range.

Some thoughts looking ahead...

The MJO / Kelvin Wave convective signal in green here flares up in the Indo-Pacific at the beginning of the loop and thru next week, before clearing out as we lead into Christmas week (this is consistent across the modeling)

View attachment 178368


I don't particularly like the Euro BC MJO plot because it tends to show too low amplitude (especially in 4-5-6-7), but I do think this is the best representation of what we are going to see on this MJO RMM plot going forward. The pending slowdown in 8 is this interference situation going on over the next week, then the forward progress continues in low amp thru phase 8 and 1 the rest of Dec - that's consistent with the convective maps above.

View attachment 178370


On the negative side, the E Asia situation hasn't seen any improvements. Here is the GWO (Global Wind Oscillation) chart - yay, another oscillation!

View attachment 178372


Can see here where we are on the left-hand side is moving toward the -MtnTorq phase (1). My guess is that this will rotate back around toward the +MtnTorq phase (5) as we push toward late Dec which we could use more of to add more momentum in the Pac Jet and help with getting increased -EPO / +PNA ridging


View attachment 178373


So...

Positives going into Christmas week:
1 - MJO progression
2 - Timing will be post SPV weakening / stretching / reflective event which favors NPac Ridging / E of Rockies cold
3 - Model tendency for too much SE ridging
4 - Models are wanting to build Scandi - Urals ridging in the medium range (believe SD pointed this out the other day). That helps with Wave 2 weakening of the SPV and with ridging of course into the Arctic. Anything we can do to prevent a big blue ball of ++AO is a good thing.
5 - Snowpack to the north

Negatives going into Christmas week:
1 - Longer range model output doesn't look very good
2 - Going thru a period of weak EAsiaMtn Torque
3 - Climatology not great in Dec, but improves everyday as we go along and into Jan with respect to longer, broader wave lengths across the CONUS / farther south storm track / colder temperatures

I’d add very high Midwest snow-cover vs climo to the positive side:

Today’s 46% is the 3rd highest only to 2013’s and 2007’s 53% and just ahead of 2005’s 45% and is ~3 times the ~15% for the 2003-24 average:
IMG_5973.jpeg
 
I think both sides can be true. Yes, the models have been correcting to more ridging in the SW and more troughing in the NE as we get closer in, but I'd rather have better looks on the modeling in the longer range.

Some thoughts looking ahead...

The MJO / Kelvin Wave convective signal in green here flares up in the Indo-Pacific at the beginning of the loop and thru next week, before clearing out as we lead into Christmas week (this is consistent across the modeling)

View attachment 178368


I don't particularly like the Euro BC MJO plot because it tends to show too low amplitude (especially in 4-5-6-7), but I do think this is the best representation of what we are going to see on this MJO RMM plot going forward. The pending slowdown in 8 is this interference situation going on over the next week, then the forward progress continues in low amp thru phase 8 and 1 the rest of Dec - that's consistent with the convective maps above.

View attachment 178370


On the negative side, the E Asia situation hasn't seen any improvements. Here is the GWO (Global Wind Oscillation) chart - yay, another oscillation!

View attachment 178372


Can see here where we are on the left-hand side is moving toward the -MtnTorq phase (1). My guess is that this will rotate back around toward the +MtnTorq phase (5) as we push toward late Dec which we could use more of to add more momentum in the Pac Jet and help with getting increased -EPO / +PNA ridging


View attachment 178373


So...

Positives going into Christmas week:
1 - MJO progression
2 - Timing will be post SPV weakening / stretching / reflective event which favors NPac Ridging / E of Rockies cold
3 - Model tendency for too much SE ridging
4 - Models are wanting to build Scandi - Urals ridging in the medium range (believe SD pointed this out the other day). That helps with Wave 2 weakening of the SPV and with ridging of course into the Arctic. Anything we can do to prevent a big blue ball of ++AO is a good thing.
5 - Snowpack to the north

Negatives going into Christmas week:
1 - Longer range model output doesn't look very good
2 - Going thru a period of weak EAsiaMtn Torque
3 - Climatology not great in Dec, but improves everyday as we go along and into Jan with respect to longer, broader wave lengths across the CONUS / farther south storm track / colder temperatures
I worry about continuing to play the game of "models are wrong in the long range", even though they are and they have been for a while now. It "feels" like that strategy will ultimately lead to failure, because it usually does. But up till now at least, this has been one of those periods where warm-ups have not materialized on any sort of sustained basis. That's not to say it isn't right around the corner. But so far the positives have overwhelmed the negatives that have popped up. I'm of the mindset to lean into persistence unless there's a really good reason to change it. Not the best forecasting technique, I know, but sometimes it works out pretty well.
 
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