DAYS 1-5 (DECEMBER 19-23)
A strong low pressure area will track from the Great Lakes through southeastern Canada today and tonight. A surge of warm air has made it into our region ahead of this storm’s trailing cold front, and rain showers will move in and become numerous to widespread today ahead of this front, with one final cluster or line of moderate to heavy rain showers – slight chance of embedded thunder – as the front move through there region from west to east during this afternoon. A moderate to strong southerly wind will blow ahead of the front, with some local damage and resultant power outages possible. The wind shifts to west behind the front, a little less strong, at which time colder air will return, with a possible additional rain/mix/snow shower this evening as the temperature drops. Any standing water can freeze by early Saturday morning, so watch for icy patches on untreated surfaces that cannot fully dry out by then. Our weekend will be mainly dry, although a weaker, fast-moving low pressure area will be passing to our north. Its warm front goes by late Saturday and its cold front whistles through the region on Sunday. The former can produce a brief period of very light snow in southern NH and northern MA, and the latter can produce a rain or snow shower again favoring northern portions of the WHW forecast area, but more than likely the vast majority of if not all of the region will stay precipitation-free as this features passes by. What it will do is introduce another shot of colder air for Monday. This will be followed by yet another clipper-type system Tuesday that brings the chance of light snow/mix in the morning and a potential mix/snow shower in the afternoon, details to be determined by the exact track of the low pressure area. The winter solstice occurs on Sunday morning at 10:03 a.m. EST.
TODAY: Overcast with widespread rain showers including the slight chance of thunder, then a clearing trend begins west to east mid to late afternoon. Highs 55-62 but starting to fall later in the day. Wind S increasing to 15-25 MPH, gusts 45-55 MPH inland and 55-65 MPH coastal areas and some higher elevations, including isolated gusts above 65 MPH, then shifting to W from west to east later in the day and diminishing slightly. 10-20 MPH except 20-30 MPH South Coast, gusts as high as 45-55 MPH, strongest coastal areas and higher elevations, shifting to W from west to east midday on.
TONIGHT: Partly cloudy. A passing mix / snow shower possible. Lows 22-29. Wind W 10-20 MPH, gusts 25-35 MPH.
SATURDAY: Sun followed by clouds. Highs 35-42. Wind variable up to 10 MPH.
SATURDAY NIGHT: Variably cloudy. A brief period of very light snow possible mainly north of Route 2. Lows 22-29. Wind SW 5-15 MPH,.
SUNDAY: Partly sunny. A brief rain shower possible. Highs 41-48. Wind SW 10-20 MPH.
SUNDAY NIGHT: Partly cloudy. A brief snow flurry possible. Lows 21-28. Wind NW 10-20 MPH.
MONDAY: Mostly sunny. Highs 30-37. Wind NW 10-20 MPH, diminishing.
MONDAY NIGHT: Clear early, clouds return later. Lows 23-30. Wind S up to 10 MPH.
TUESDAY: Cloudy with a chance of light snow/mix morning. Variably cloudy with a rain/mix/snow shower possible afternoon. Highs 35-42. Wind variable 5-15 MPH.
DAYS 6-10 (DECEMBER 24-28)
Up-and-down temperature pattern, leaning toward slightly below normal with a couple disturbances potentially bringing mostly minor precipitation events, timing TBD. A little more detailed outlook for this holiday period coming soon.
DAYS 11-15 (DECEMBER 29 – JANUARY 2)
A similar pattern – a couple smaller low pressure systems with mostly minor impact, but causing variable temperatures, leaning slightly colder than normal.