Christmas is just days away….and so is our storm. Quiet precedes it (as is often the case) and temperatures dip a little as some feeble arctic air tries to get a foothold.
We may see temps dive after sunset tonight, but the trend will be to see them rise by Thursday morning as the south wind begins to flutter. Although we are seeing winds gradually build through the day, the most intense gusts will wait until very early Christmas morning.
Right now, our storm isn’t all that showy. We know there’s energy there, however.
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As the storm sweeps east, the energy will tap into a very deep flow of water vapor first off the Gulf of Mexico, then the Atlantic. Winds at about 3,000 feet will continue to strengthen as the storm barrels east. This is a recipe for heavy rain and strong winds here in New England.
The fear is that we may see many power outages as the gusts increase into Christmas morning. As of this typing, the worst of the storm appears to be in the early morning hours of Christmas. Winds could top 50-60 (especially on the Capes and Islands) and thunder could develop as temps soar into the 60s (with a tinge of humidity).
Flooding could be an issue on the small rivers and streams – as well as basements – as runoff from the snowmelt combines with up to 2” of rain. Clearly not what anyone wanted under the tree this Christmas. Cold will rush in throughout the afternoon as the rain/storms exit and the skies brighten.
Freeze is expected by Christmas night….putting the bow on a crazy weather day. We’re staying on top of the twists and turns of this holiday storm. Stay with our NBC stations.
