Both coasts see plenty of wet, active weather Christmas Day into the start of the weekend, while a quieter pattern is expected for the Central U.S. Things will rapidly change by Sunday for the nation’s midsection.

Christmas Day (Thursday)

The biggest weather story on Christmas Day will continue to be a large upper-level weather system settled just off the West Coast. This will send rounds of moisture into the Western U.S. throughout the day. All areas along and west of the Rocky Mountains will see precipitation as residents open their Christmas gifts.

Rain will soak the coast and lower elevations throughout the day. The mid-elevations will likely just see rain during the daytime hours, but some wet snow could mix in at times early and late on Christmas Day. The mountains and higher elevations will just see snow.

Moderate to heavy rain will be likely throughout California, especially in the Central Valley into southwestern California near Los Angeles and San Diego. After several days of soaking rain, flooding concerns will remain elevated to high for Christmas Day, especially near rivers, creeks and streams as well as burn scar, urban, low-lying and other more flood prone areas. If you do approach a flooded roadway, remember it is always best to “Turn Around, Don’t Drown!”

Snow will be heaviest along the Sierra Nevada, where travel will be difficult, if not impossible. This will include Donner Pass on I-80. Be prepared for slick, icy and snowy roads across the highest passes in the Cascades, the Klamath Mountains in northern California and parts of the northern Rockies.

Winds will also be howling throughout much of the West. The strongest winds will likely be found across southern Oregon and northern California through the Great Basin into the Rocky Mountain Front Range. With saturated soil, these high winds will likely lead to downed trees and powerlines, so power outages will be a possibility. It will also blowing snow around in the mountains and higher elevations, allowing for blowing and drifting snow along with white out conditions. It stays dry across southeastern Wyoming, but these high winds will still pose a threat to those on I-25 and I-80, especially for light and high-profile vehicles.

Meanwhile, a nearly stationary front will be draped over the northern Plains into the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic. Rain showers will be likely across the Ohio and Tennessee valleys throughout the day. A few rain showers could occur across the Mid-Atlantic and Carolinas during the morning and early afternoon as people open their gifts. By late afternoon and evening, a wintry mix of rain, sleet and freezing will develop in the northern Plains, Upper Mississippi Valley and western Great Lakes.

As if that wasn’t enough, a fast-moving weather disturbance will clip the Northeast. Flurries or light snow showers will be likely across the interior Northeast during the morning, before tapering off and ending in the afternoon and evening.

High pressure will control the weather across the central and southern Plains along with the Gulf Coast. Expect dry, quiet weather here as a result.

Those in the interior Northeast, Upper Great Lakes and far northern Plains will want to remain by the fireplace on Christmas Day, with highs only in the teens and 20s. Expect 30s and 40s throughout the Mountain West, the Upper Mississippi Valley, Lower Great Lakes and southern portions of the Northeast.

The rest of the U.S. will need t-shirts, shorts and maybe some A.C. to celebrate. Fifties and 60s will be common throughout much of California, the High Plains, Ohio and Tennessee valleys and Mid-Atlantic. The Desert Southwest, southern Plains and Southeast will record highs in the 70s and 80s!

Friday

It will be a “rinse and repeat” forecast across the West on Friday as the large upper-level weather system remains settled off the coast. Rounds of rain and mountain snow will be found for all areas along and west of the Rockies. Temperatures will be slightly colder compared to Christmas Day, so more of the middle elevations will see more snow than rain.

Expect similar impacts throughout the Western U.S. on Friday compared to those on Christmas Day. Flooding will remain a concern across the lower elevations, while difficult, if not impossible, travel is expected for the places that see snow. The strongest winds will shift slightly north, with the Northwest, Great Basin, northern Rockies and parts of the High Plains seeing the strongest winds. Downed trees and powerlines, power outages, blowing and drifting snow and a blowover risk to light and high-profile vehicles remain a possibility.

Farther east, a potent low pressure will form over the Midwest in the morning, which will dart eastward across the Mid-Atlantic into the Atlantic Ocean during the afternoon and evening. Wintry precipitation will be found along this low pressure system.

Expect light to moderate snow for the Upper Great Lakes in the morning, with a wintry mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain and rain for the Lower Great Lakes. The Ohio and Tennessee valleys will generally just see rain, but some light freezing rain or freezing drizzle cannot be ruled out at times. Snow will then spread to western portions of the Northeast and southern New England in the afternoon and evening, while the Mid-Atlantic could see significant accumulations of freezing rain and sleet.

Dry weather will remain in the forecast for the nation’s midsection as well as the Southeast.

The Northeast remains cold on Friday, with highs in the teens and 20s. The highest parts of the northern Appalachians could even see temperatures remain in single digits. Expect 30s and 40s for the Mountain West, the northern Plains, Great Lakes and Mid-Atlantic. Fifties and 50s will cover California into the Desert Southwest, the central Plains and the Ohio and Tennessee valleys. Warm 70s and 80s remain across the southern Plains and Southeast.

Saturday

The stationary weather system that has hovered just off the West Coast throughout the week will finally advance eastward on Saturday. Precipitation will slowly taper off and end across the Northwest, Great Basin and California in the afternoon and evening. Expect rain for the lower elevations, a rain/snow mix for the mid-elevations and all snow for the mountains and higher elevations.

However, snow will continue across the Rockies throughout the day and could even intensify across the central and southern Rockies in the evening and overnight. There could even be some snow that spreads to the Front Range and High Plains late Saturday into early Sunday morning.

There will be a developing low pressure system that moves across the north-central U.S. A mix of rain, sleet and freezing rain is possible in the far Upper Mississippi Valley during the morning and afternoon. This wintry mix could continue across the Upper Great Lakes in the evening, while there could be a few showers in the Lower Great Lakes.

The low pressure system impacting the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic will quickly push away on Saturday morning, with high pressure building over the region for the rest of the day. There could be some lingering snow, freezing rain and sleet in the morning. Drier air will then filter in for the rest of the day.

A weak onshore flow could bring a limited amount of moisture into the Gulf Coast and Deep South on Saturday. There will be a slight chance of showers in the afternoon and evening, but generally dry weather will prevail.

Teens and 20s will persist across the Northeast, while the northern Plains and High Plains also generally see teens and 20s. The Rockies in northwestern Montana, however, could only see the mercury climb into single digits, with a few spots staying below zero. The rest of the Mountain West, the Great Lakes, Ohio Valley and Mid-Atlantic can expect 30s and 40s. California and the Desert Southwest, the central Plains and Tennessee Valley will report highs in the 50s and 60s, with 70s and a few lower 80s for the southern Plains, Lower Mississippi Valley and Southeast.

Sunday

After weakening briefly as it moved over the Rocky Mountains, an upper-level weather system and cold front will strengthen again as it moves across the Central U.S. This will bring precipitation to the central/southern Rockies and Plains, the Midwest, Deep South and even parts of the Mid-Atlantic.

Light to moderate snow will fall in the central/southern Rockies and Colorado Front Range throughout the day. The central Plains and Mid-Mississippi Valley will generally see rain initially, which could mix with and possibly change over to snow late in the day. Except for some freezing rain in the Alleghenies and Poconos of Pennsylvania, all other locations will see just rain as temperatures will be too warm for any wintry weather.

A few flurries or light snow showers cannot be ruled out in the northern Plains and Upper Mississippi in the wake of this cold front.

After days of soggy, wintry weather, high pressure will finally build over the Western U.S. for the end of the holiday weekend, promoting dry and quiet weather.

Expect temperatures in the 20s and 30s for the Northeast, 40s and 50s for the Mid-Atlantic and 60s and 70s for the Southeast. Across the Western U.S., highs will be in the 20s and 30s for the higher elevations, 40s and 50s for the lower elevations of the Northwest and much of California and 60s in southern California and the Desert Southwest. Though, the tallest peaks in the Rockies could only see highs in single digits and teens.

Things get more complicated for the nation’s midsection given this potent cold front moving through. Highs will occur early in the day for the northern and central Plains, the Upper Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes, with temperatures falling for the rest of the day. High temperatures will be in the single digits, teens and 20s for the northern Plains, before falling. Expect 30s and 40s for the central Plains, Upper Mississippi Valley and Great Lakes early in the day, then temperatures plummet. The southern Plains and Lower Midwest will report 50s and 60s early. Much of Texas (excluding the panhandle) and the Lower Mississippi Valley see a normal pattern, with temperatures peaking in the 70s and 80s during the afternoon.

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