Christmas week US travelers to face stormy weather on West Coast, some trouble in Northeast
While the prospect of little snow may disappoint winter weather enthusiasts and thrill motorists and airline passengers heading into Christmas, rain in some areas of the West can be intense and highly disruptive.
AccuWeather Long-Range Expert Joe Lundberg forecasts that while much of the South and Plains will enjoy warmth and sunshine between Christmas and New Year’s, persistent cold in the Northeast may lead to bouts of snow and ice, especially around Dec. 26 and later in the week.
Wintry weather will retreat from a large part of the United States during the upcoming week, with one of the warmest Christmases on record likely for at least a dozen states. Still, AccuWeather meteorologists say that some snow will help set the holiday mood in some parts of the country while also throwing a wrench into travel plans.
"The strengthening of the polar vortex is locking up the coldest air in Canada with the main track of storms near the U.S. / Canada border for the week ahead," AccuWeather Lead Long-Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said. This will keep the snow mainly in Canada, rather than in the central and eastern U.S.
Occasionally, a clipper storm and cold air will dip far enough to the south to bring snow to the northern tier of the Midwest and Northeast through Christmas Day. One such round of snow and flurries will track across the Great Lakes and Northeast this weekend.
A reinforcing dose of chilly air will invade the Midwest and Northeast in the wake of the clipper storm this weekend.
"A somewhat larger clipper storm will affect parts of the Upper Midwest and Northeast from Monday to Tuesday," AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty said. This could bring a period of snow and an icy mix before warm air returns.
The areas of snow and mix are not likely to be heavy, but even a small amount of either can make for slippery travel.
Tuesday may be the worst day of the week for weather-related travel disruptions in the Northeast, especially from the northern tier of Pennsylvania to upstate New York and central and northern New England.
Farther south, travel problems will be related to areas of rain, drizzle and perhaps some fog.
"There is a chance a storm on Christmas Day brings some mix of snow and ice to parts of the interior Northeast," Douty said. "But, with cold air being extremely limited, any fresh snow would likely be limited to the northern part of New York and New England."
Worst weather for Christmas week: California
By far, the vast majority of travel problems will be on the West Coast, particularly in California, through the week of Christmas.
Until recently, California had dodged the siege of storms that blasted the Northwest with torrential rain, unleashing major flooding. That is about to change as the storm track shifts south.
Multiple storms will bring rounds of drenching rain that will result in urban, small stream and even some river flooding throughout California from this weekend through the week of Christmas. Inches of rain will pour down in lower and intermediate elevations, with the most excessive amounts on the west- and southwest-facing slopes of the hills and mountains.
"The series of storms will prompt not only ground travel problems, but conditions can be severe enough at times to lead to airline delays and flight cancellations in San Francisco and Los Angeles, which could have ripple effects throughout the nation," Pastelok said.
"In the Sierra Nevada and to some extent the Cascades, multiple feet of snow will fall on the higher elevations, with snow levels dipping to pass levels at times, which can impede travel," AccuWeather Chief On-Air Meteorologist Bernie Rayno added.
For those with skiing in mind during Christmas week, the setup will be a boon for the industry, provided so much snow does not fall to block roads.
Farther east, a much different weather setup will evolve during the holiday week.
Temperatures will climb to levels more typical of April and May over the middle part of the nation from Tuesday to Friday. Widespread highs in the 70s and 80s will challenge daily record highs in the zone from Texas to Kansas, Missouri and Georgia on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
The result will be one of the warmest Christmases on record for at least a dozen states in the south-central region of the U.S., with coats and scarves being swapped out with sunglasses shorts, and short sleeves.
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