Focus: Christmas Weather ... Updated 12/24 (early)

Upon waking up many of us will discover that the snow is missing. If you live in on a higher elevation, the snow appeared. We simply got too warm yesterday for the light precipitation to overcome and give everyone snow. But since the higher elevations got some, the forecast had some merit. 

Smooth sailing from here on out through Saturday. Maybe some ice/sleet late Thu night/early Fri morning but that will change to all rain rather quickly. 

The challenges begin next week. Possibly as early as Sunday when we finally get rid of the nothing but Pacific based air masses and introduce some colder Canadian air masses. But there is time for that discussion later. In the meantime, have a Merry Christmas! 

The major rainstorm has passed and the forecast turned out very well. There was a bigger break in the rain, and even some sunshine that was not expected, but 60 degrees and higher for Dec 21st?  Who is complaining?  Even had some thunder last evening. But that is now gone. Back to seasonal weather for mid/late Dec. 

There are a couple of changes. 

• First, the snow showers for Sun night have turned into the stronger system giving us light snow. It is likely to start briefly as a bit of light rain, but should change to snow quickly. It all starts after 8 pm and ends by 2 am Mon. Some lingering snow showers/flurries will be around Mon morning. a nice C-2" is likely. The hills could see up to 3" to our north. But that is isolated. 
• What could change?  System tracks further south, and we get all snow increasing amounts to 1-3" locally 4" in hills.  System is a touch warmer, giving more rain and it becomes C-1" at most.  
• Second, the light snow for late Christmas Day has turned into the weaker system and will give a chance for a couple of snow showers. (The timing of weak systems and the interaction of different pieces of energy is tricky from several days out, but the picture is much clearer now, thus the changes). 

Temperatures will be seasonally cool for this time of year. It will feel like winter, and probably look like it too. Nothing too outlandish that is certain. But that all ends Thu night as another storm tracks to our NW and brings milder air and more rain. It will start as a brief period of ice/sleet but then should change to a cold rain into Friday morning. This storm will not be as wet nor as warm as this last one. But rain is still rain. 

Unless there is a big change in the forecast for Sunday - Christmas, I will not be updating until after Christmas. 

Until then ... Enjoy and have a very Merry Christmas!