DAYS 1-5 (DECEMBER 18-22)
High pressure nearby moves offshore today with fair and milder weather for our region. Low pressure cranks up and heads through the Great Lakes and into southeastern Canada tonight through Friday. Stronger southerly winds develop as this system moves in and its cold front will sweep through with many hours of rain showers preceding it, and a final band or cluster of heavier showers including a low chance of embedded thunder. A wind shift to west takes place and it dries out other than the chance of an additional rain / snow shower as colder air returns Friday night. Saturday, winds slacken and we can expect a sun / cloud mix as a smaller clipper low moves through the Great Lakes. This system will pass north of our region Sunday when we’ll be briefly in its warm sector between a warm front, which may produce brief insignificant precipitation Saturday night, and its cold front, which may produce a sprinkle of rain Sunday daytime and maybe a snow flurry behind it at night. The winter solstice occurs at 10:03 a.m. EST on Sunday. Fair, colder weather is expected behind that low pressure area for Monday.
TODAY: Sun much of the time then clouds arrive late. Highs 44-51. Wind variable to S up to 10 MPH.
TONIGHT: Clouds thicken. Widespread rain showers arrive west to east overnight. Lows 37-44 evening, rising through 40s overnight. Wind S increasing to 10-20 MPH with higher gusts.
FRIDAY: 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 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.
FRIDAY NIGHT: 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 I-90. 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.
DAYS 6-10 (DECEMBER 23-27)
Clipper low pattern and up-and-down temps, tending to be colder vs. milder. Watching for minor snow or snow shower events December 23 & 25, and a snow / mix / rain chance toward the end of the period.
DAYS 11-15 (DECEMBER 28 – JANUARY 1)
A similar pattern – a couple smaller low pressure systems with mostly minor impact, but causing variable temperatures, tending to slightly colder than normal.