We mentioned two weeks ago the possibility of a cold spell after Christmas. Well, as these showers move out of here early Monday, temperatures will drop to below freezing quickly as cold dry east winds reappear.
When cold air aloft arrives, we still could be seeing some showers here and there, so a mix of rain or snow or just plain wet snow is not out of the question late tonight and early Monday. The foothills for sure will pick up a dusting as the snowflakes accumulate.
We will see highs within a couple degrees of the freezing mark plus or minus Tuesday and Wednesday with overnight lows in the wind-sheltered areas in the teens.
Cold enough? It could be the lowest temperatures this winter, colder than our cold snap in mid-November. December, which is running well above normal temperature-wise, will end on a chilly note. The New Year will be cold as well.
Forecast models are all over the place, but we could see snowflakes or ice as we transition out of this late in the week.
Beyond the weekend it could get colder with snow depending on where the jet stream sets up. In winter it always seems like a battle between the cold northern and warm southerly jet stream. It is winter, and this week’s cold snap may reload.
The large cold dome of arctic air will slide over a great portion of the West, and in addition to our east winds, California will have a huge blast of Santa Ana east winds. Watch the news headlines for that Monday or Tuesday.
The mountains received more snow this weekend, but things are still way below normal. Bundle up and keep warm, and we will see how the rest of the week turns out. Chat on a chilly Tuesday.
Patrick Timm is a local weather specialist. His column appears Tuesdays, Thursdays and Sundays. Reach him at http://patricktimm.com.
