Record Warmth then a Downhill Slide

It is warm. It almost feels like spring is coming and the trees will burst forth in bloom. Okay, slight exaggeration. But it is mild. And winter will arrive. Don't worry it is coming. We'll talk again come March. 

​The warmth will peak Sunday into Monday. Record highs are likely to be set with temps approaching 66 degrees! Enjoy it folks. Not too often we see these temps 2 weeks before Christmas. Although in 1889 it was 66 on Christmas Day. So it has been this warm before, long before we were born.

Rain arrives Monday afternoon, and could be heavy at times for a few hours. Then cooler Tue and Wed, before another front with much, much colder air for next weekend. Yes, below normal temps for a change!  It will feel like winter with flurries and snow showers flying around also.

And yes, it will warm up some next week again as another storm lifts to the Great Lakes, and pulls warm moist air northward. There is much debate as how cold it gets behind this system leading up to Christmas.
Essentially what we are seeing right now is an up and down pattern emerging for the next two weeks: Ridge then trough then ridge then trough and … you get the idea. The warmth will still outdo the cold, but winter will be trying to make abbreviated appearances.

I expect this idea to continue through early January, but slowly the cold should begin to outdo the warmth. By mid-January I expect the winter pattern of cold and stormy to take hold of our region. I see nothing to change from this idea. Nor any reason to think that our first 1” snow will be after Dec 20. A white Christmas?  Head for the plains or western mountains. In the east?  Not so white. More green and brown.
 
My Weather Points for the Next 7 Days:

1. Record Warm: Sunday temps reach mid to upper 60s with enough sunshine. That is the qualifier. If it’s too cloudy, it will not happen. Very mild Sunday night with temps remaining in the 50s. Warm yet Monday with highs in the low 60s.  
2. Rain: Heavy rain likely Monday afternoon. Showers/rain Thu as front with low pressure on it moves through.    
3. Winds: Windy after front passes Monday night/Tuesday. Also on Fri with cold air pouring in.   
4. First 1” of Snow: Unless a wave of low pressure forms along cold front mid-week Christmas week. Or a heavy snow shower moves through and dumps on us on the 19-20th. Otherwise nothing through Christmas.   

 
Sunday: 66. Becoming mostly cloudy. Warm overnight.     

Monday: 63. Cloudy. Rain in afternoon into the evening. Possibly heavy. Warm.                 

Tuesday: 54. Partly cloudy. Breezy.

Wednesday: 55. Becoming mostly cloudy.     

Thursday: 50. Mostly cloudy. Mild but colder late.   

Friday: 40. Much colder. Rain ending.   

Saturday: 32. Cold. Sun and clouds. Snow shower possible.

Sunday: 34. Cold. Mostly sunny. 

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