In the Upstate, holiday shoppers are enjoying warmer temperatures this week.
With Christmas less than a week away, the festive spirit is in the air, even though the weather doesn’t quite match the season.
This week, the National Weather Service at the Greenville-Spartanburg Airport has forecast temperatures to climb well above 50 degrees. Residents in the Upstate will enjoy sunny to partly cloudy skies, accompanied by gentle breezes that complement the warmer weather.
So what will the weather be like for the last weekend of Christmas shopping?
Despite the sunny weather on Friday, with a high near 55, temperatures are expected to drop significantly at night to around 32 degrees.
Saturday is expected to be sunny, with temperatures reaching a high near 49 degrees.
However, the temperatures will drop again by Saturday night, becoming mostly clear with a low of around 27 degrees.
On Sunday, the sun will continue to shine, but the high will only reach around 42 degrees.
Cold temperatures will continue heading into Christmas week.
Christmas week weather forecast
During Christmas week, meteorologists at the National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center forecast mild conditions in the southeast.
Temperatures are expected to be below average in South Carolina. This means significantly colder conditions than the average Christmas temperatures.
According to weather experts, cold air masses will be moving into the region, which will cause colder-than-usual highs and lows.
The perception outlook for Christmas suggests that the region may experience below-normal precipitation levels.
This week’s forecast
There is a slight chance of isolated showers on Wednesday. As evening approaches, you may want to keep an umbrella handy.
Thursday’s conditions are expected to return to sunny with a high above 50 degrees and a low around 37 degrees.
Temperatures through Christmas Day
Wednesday: 68 high/48 low — a.m. fog and p.m. clouds
Thursday: 58 high/44 low — partly cloudy
Friday: 55 high/32 low — mostly sunny
Saturday: 49 high/27 low — mostly sunny
Sunday: 42 high/23 low — partly cloudy
Monday: 41 high/25 low — sunny
Christmas Eve: 45 high/34 low — partly cloudy
Christmas Day: 50 high/41 low — mostly cloudy
Travis Rose covers Anderson County for the Independent Mail. Reach him via email at trose@gannett.com.