A well-advertised warming trend is in progress, but you can’t expect above average temperature runs to last long in January.

Today was our third straight day with an above average high temperature in Cincinnati. We’ll likely be on the warm side of average through the weekend.

High temperatures will approach 60° Friday afternoon, and we’ll briefly jump into the lower 60s Saturday afternoon. The record high temperature in Cincinnati Friday is 67°; the record high Saturday is 71°. Both records were set in 1890. These record high temperatures are unlikely to be tied or broken later this week.

While the records will be safe, high temperatures in the Ohio Valley will likely be 20° to 25° above average Friday:

High temperatures in the Ohio Valley will likely be 20° to 25° above average again Saturday:

A piece of arctic air is likely to return next week, but there is still some uncertainty on the positioning and strength of this upcoming cold punch. The latest 8-14 temperature outlook from NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center shows below average temperatures are likely next week in and Rockies and Plains:

We will likely see temperatures near average (in the mid to upper 30s) most of next week.

There are signs from the from the long range model guidance that cold will return later this month and into February. Winter is not over yet!