Old Saint Nick is going to have to make up time in other parts of the world on Thursday as he's going to find the sledding very tough in the Berkshires on the jolly fellow's Big Night.
NWS Albany has issued a Flood Watch and a High Wind Warning for Christmas Eve. Rain should not start until early afternoon, but it will pick up in intensity as we head into the overnight hours. Forecasters and models are still expecting 1-3 inches of rain by Friday afternoon which, coupled with melting snow, could create flooding conditions. Unusually--for this time of year, anyway--the temps will increase throughout Thursday night and will approach 60 degrees (!) by 8 AM Friday.
Perhaps an even bigger concern, though, is the wind. Things will really crank up Thursday evening with sustained winds over 20 mph and possible gusts between 50 and 60 mph. Power outages are a distinct possibility for the Berkshires overnight, which is less than ideal for us residents as well as the folks who have to attend to downed power lines.
The rain will taper to showers by midday, and then the temps will slowly start to fall. Because models are now expecting a slower decrease in the temperatures, there is less worry about flash freezing Friday afternoon. But that also means that we're less likely to get snow on the back end of the storm. So, by Saturday morning we'll be left with grassy yards that are half-soggy, half-frozen with maybe a patch of leftover snow here and there.
Fortunately, we will have two opportunities for snow next week to freshen up the place. The first will come Monday night with possibly a few inches in the evening and into Tuesday. The next opportunity will be toward the end of the week (Thursday/Friday). We're in an active period right now so the opportunities to get snow should keep coming.
Happy Holidays to everyone who reads GSD, and stay safe over the next few days!
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