December temperatures 20 degrees warmer than average in Chattanooga... so far

Friday, January 1, 1904

photo Mark Schumaker climbs the hill at Renaissance Park with his sons Brady Schumaker, left, and Brock Schumaker while enjoying the warm temperatures as they hover in the low-70s early Monday afternoon. The Schumakers visited Chattanooga from their hometown of Spring Hill, Tenn.

• High for Dec. 3: 68 degrees• Average temperature for Dec. 3: 55 degrees• Record high for Dec. 3: 75 degrees set in 1998• High for December 2012 so far: 71 degrees on Sunday• Low for December 2012: 39 degrees on Saturday• Average monthly temperature: 54 degreesHighs for the week:• Tuesday: 70 degrees• Wednesday: 64 degrees• Thursday: 59 degrees• Friday: 60 degreesSource: National Weather Service in Morristown, Tenn., and Paul Barys, chief meteorologist WRCB-TV

With temperatures almost 20 degrees warmer than average, lots of Chattanoogans enjoyed the sunshine Monday.

Enjoy these outdoors-friendly days while you can, because the almost balmy temperatures will end soon, according to WRCB-TV Chief Meteorologist Paul Barys.

"There's one truth in weather: If it's going to get too warm, then it's going to get too cold later on," he said.

Temperatures in the 60s and 70s are expected to last through the middle of next week in the Chattanooga area, when cold fronts will move in and drop daily high temperatures into the 40s.

November and the early part of December tend to have temperature swings before the cold weather settles in, Barys said.

This week's highs are not highly unusual for December, according to Derek Eisentrout, a meterologist at the National Weather Service in Morristown, Tenn. Since weather averages are predicted over a 30-year period, swings either higher or lower than the average are fairly normal.

Rain this week will help usher in the cooler temperatures, Eisentrout said.

This winter is expected to be slightly colder and wetter than recent winters have been.

For many, the warm weather was welcome Monday.

Julie Burney was taking King, her German shepherd, home when she decided to stop by Coolidge Park for a stroll along the Tennessee River.

"It's nice not to have on a sweater or a coat," she said. "It was so cold last week, I thought I was going to have to get him [King] a sweater."

The sun and heat makes the last weeks of fall seem a little less gloomy and more enjoyable, said Burney, who was wearing short sleeves and flip-flops.

Cynthia Thompson also changed her afternoon plans to enjoy the weather. Instead of going to the gym, she decided to walk outside.

"This is perfect for me -- I love it," she said. "It would be just great if it stayed like this."

Even though Matt Ballard, who works for True Shine Window Washers, was enjoying the weather as he washed windows on Broad Street, he said would rather have temperatures a little cooler.

"When I'm not washing windows, I'm rock climbing, and cold weather is better for that," Ballard said. "It's nice washing windows when it's not too hot or too cold, but for everything else I do, I'd rather it be cold."

Contact staff writer Rachel Bunn at rbunn@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6592.