The National Weather Service in Paducah reports that southern Illinois and the surrounding region could see temperatures approaching 70 degrees on Christmas Day and Friday, an unusual occurrence for this time of year.
However, the warm weather won’t arrive immediately. Beginning late today and continuing through Wednesday, the area will experience considerable cloud cover, with a good chance of drizzle and light rain, especially in the southeastern portion of the region. Patchy fog is also possible.
By the latter half of the week, temperatures are expected to climb significantly, bringing unseasonably mild conditions. Overnight lows will also be much warmer than normal, potentially breaking records for minimum temperatures.