Dreams of a white Christmas are giving way to a La Niña reality as the warmest Dec. 22 on record kicks off an unseasonably warm holiday week in Colorado Springs, according to the National Weather Service.

Monday’s temperatures reached a high of 72 degrees, eclipsing the previous record of 69, set in 1955, and smashing the average December high of 44.6 degrees, the weather agency said.

Denver saw a high of 76 degrees on Monday, exceeding the previous record of 70 degrees, also set in 1955, according to meteorologists with Gazette news partner 9News.

The Pikes Peak region is in the midst of a months-long La Niña event, where ocean waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean cool down, affecting weather patterns.

In Colorado, that means warmer and drier conditions in the lower elevations and in the southern part of the state, according to the weather agency.

Kyle Mozley, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Pueblo, told The Gazette in late October that the Pikes Peak region would likely see unusually warm conditions through the end of 2025.

“A lot of the mode guidance for La Niña has this event weakening by January, and we should be back into neutral conditions by the end of January,” he said.

Tuesday is expected to be partly sunny, with a high near 66 degrees and northwest winds at about 5 mph, according to the Weather Service forecast. Christmas Eve should bring more of the same, with a high of 66 and 5-10 mph winds.

Santa Claus should have few problems landing on housetops that night, with an overnight low of around 40 and no precipitation in the forecast.

Christmas Day is expected to be partly sunny and mild, with a high temperature that could threaten the record Dec. 25 high in Colorado Springs, the weather agency said. Thursday’s forecast calls for a high of 66 degrees, one degree shy of the record set in 1955 and matched in 1971.

Friday will be slightly cooler but still warm for late December, with a high near 59 degrees. Saturday and Sunday will be cooler still, with highs in the low 50s on both days. Weekend conditions are expected to be mostly sunny and breezy.

Warm, dry conditions plus steady winds equals fire danger, according to the National Weather Service. The agency has issued red flag warnings for several portions of central and southeast Colorado, including Teller, Fremont, Huerfano and Pueblo counties along with northern and western El Paso County.

“Continued dry conditions, low humidity values, and gusty winds will lead to rapid fire spread should a fire start,” the agency warns.

Residents of affected counties are advised to refrain from outdoor activities that could start a fire.

While La Niña contributes to warm, dry weather in the plains, it has improved snowfall in the central and southern mountains in recent days.

Areas in the southern mountains saw accumulations of 12-20 inches over the weekend, while Grand Mesa, the Elk Mountains and West Elks saw up to 21 inches in some areas.

Colorado’s snowpack is still in the red, currently sitting at 59% of median average on Sunday.

For those planning to hit the roadways during the Christmas season, Interstate 25 should be smooth sailing, barring any unforeseen crashes. Conditions along the I-70 corridor are expected to remain warm and dry through Wednesday, with chances of snow on Christmas, according to the Colorado Department of Transportation.