Weather: Wet, windy start to Christmas weekend expected
After a wet Thursday, a chance of rain will present itself again Friday night into Saturday, leaving a good shot the area will be wet for Christmas Eve.
A low-pressure system dropping down out of the Gulf of Alaska will be responsible for the inclement weather, which will start with high winds Friday, according to the National Weather Service.
“We’re going to have some gusty winds Friday, especially into Friday night,” said Reid Walcott, National Weather Service meteorologist. “Winds gusts Friday afternoon will be in the 25-to-35 mph range and that will continue Friday night, tapering off Saturday morning.”
During that time precipitation chances are looking solid.
“We’ve also got a pretty good chance of rain starting off Friday evening, probably mid-to-late evening we’ll bump up to an 80 percent chance of rain,” Walcott said. “Then overnight it will be over 90 percent chance of rain, so we’re going to get some rain.”
The best shot at rain is through the early morning hours Saturday Walcott said, but a solid chance will persist throughout the day Saturday.
“Chances will decrease throughout the rest of the day Saturday, to about 60 percent in the afternoon,” he said. “The rain should taper off by the evening hours.”
The surrounding mountain areas will see snow, with snow levels dropping to 4,000 feet.
“The lower slopes of the Spring Mountains and the other surrounding mountains will probably see some snow,” he said. “We’ve got a winter storm warning for the Spring Mountains as well.”
Temperatures will range between as low as 45 degrees for the high Christmas Day and 57 degrees Wednesday.
Lows will fall between as low as 27 degrees Christmas night and 54 degrees tonight.
Mostly sunny to partly cloudy conditions will be present throughout much of the week.
WEATHER
7-day forecast
Friday: Light rain, high 56, low 34
Saturday: Heavy rain, high 43
Christmas Eve: Clear, low 28
Christmas Day: Mostly sunny, high 43, low 29
Monday: Sunny, high 45, low 31
Tuesday: Sunny, high 50, low 34
Wednesday: Sunny, high 54, low 36
Thursday: Sunny, high 55, low 38
Source: National Weather Service
Contact reporter Mick Akers at makers@pvtimes.com. Follow @mickakers on Twitter.
