Our December temperatures are expected to be several degrees above average. That’s the expectation of the National Weather Service.

“When you look at the ratio of above to below temperature days, we’ll have more days of above normal temperature,” said Ken Simosko, NWS meteorologist in Bismarck, when asked about the weather outlook for the remainder of December.

Simosko was very cautious about referring to the weather ahead as warm, preferring instead to classify temperatures as “above normal.” The average daytime high temperature for Minot is about 23 degrees. A news release from the NWS Monday called for “above average temperatures and below average precipitation” from Dec. 10-31.

“In the last 21 days of December we’ll find ourselves in above normal temperatures,” assured Simosko. “We’re not saying every day because we will still get cold fronts to come through. Then it will get warmer again, a kind of see-saw.”

Temperatures should average about 10 degrees above normal with several days reaching into the upper 30s and even low 40s. Before that occurs though, the region will experience some colder weather yet this week. Thursday’s daytime high is expected to be in the mid teens. After that the thermometer should rise into the upper 20s to low 30s by the weekend.

“It looks like we’re going to have a pattern change, a return to above average temperatures,” said Simosko. “Again, it probably won’t be every day. There will be some cold periods with light precipitation, but those will be brief.”

The effect, other than keep sub-zero temperatures at bay, is expected to be noticeable on waters throughout the state. The NWS says the Missouri River near Bismarck is not going to ice over until sometime in January and cautions that ice cover on lakes in the state will be thinner than normal this month.

“Looking at what is coming our way, it’s probably not in our favor for recreational use. Ice will be non-existent or very thin,” said Simosko.

Historically, ice forms on the Missouri River during the third week of December. For Lake Sakakawea the earliest date since 2010 that it was declared entirely frozen was December 26 and the latest January 18.