Weather This Holiday Season: What Are You in For?

Written by Elizabeth Cline

Last updated 12/23/2021, 10:29:00 AM

Going into the holiday weekend, most of us will see above average highs and record warmth. Which is a stark difference from the Northern Plains and north-west where highs will be below freezing, per the NWS.

Over the next few days greeting the holidays, a cold and active weather pattern will produce heavy snow across the higher elevations of the western United States.

Winter Storm Warnings and Winter Weather Advisories are in effect in portions of the region, due to snow and possible hazardous conditions through the Christmas weekend, the National Weather Service (NWS) said Thursday.

Along the low lying coastal regions excessive moisture will translate into heavy rainfall over the next couple days, with some locations, including the terrain adjacent to the Los Angeles and San Diego metro areas, forecast to receive 1 to 3+ inches of rain in 24 hours. Given the potential for flash flooding as well as runoff over nearby burn scarred and hydrologically sensitive areas, the Weather Prediction Center has issued a Slight Risk of Excessive Rainfall for portions of southwestern California through Saturday morning.

According to the NWS, snow showers are also expected across the Great Lakes and north-east Thursday before switching to a rain/snow mix on Friday. “As a warm front approaches from the south-west on Friday a rain/snow mix will emerge, allowing for freezing rain to form and a thin layer of ice to accumulate over portions of the upper mid-west, New York, and southern New England,” said the WPC. 

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