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A multi-day, heavy rain and high-wind storm is now anticipated to touch down locally around 8 p.m. on Christmas Eve, Dec. 24. Previously weather forecasters had predicted the storm arriving around 4 p.m.
Expect to see strong to damaging winds - especially Thursday night into Friday, Christmas Day, morning (Dec. 25). The winds will be accompanied by heavy rains and minor flooding, according to the National Weather Service.
On Christmas Eve, Thursday, Dec. 24, winds will begin to pick up throughout the day causing gusts as high as 25 mph. There is a 30 percent chance of precipitation in the daytime. Rain could be heavy at times with winds 11-18 mph and gusts of up to 22-47 mph. The chance of nighttime precipitation is 100 percent. New rainfall could add up to 1-2 inches.
The rain will continue on Christmas Day, Friday, Dec. 25, with showers predicted mainly before 2 p.m. Rain could be heavy at times with a high near 58 degrees and a low of 22. The day will start out breezy and gradually calm down, though gusts could reach 47 mph. The chance of perception is 100 percent during the daytime.
On Christmas night there is a chance of rain mostly before 10 p.m. and a slim chance of snow between 10 p.m. and midnight. The chance of nighttime perception is 20 percent.
The wicked weather is being pushed by a powerful cold front sweeping across the nation - dumping snow in the upper Midwest, creating critical fire weather threats in California and dousing the East with heavy rain and high winds.
TODAY AND THE WEEKEND
Today, Wednesday, Dec. 23, the weather will be at a high of 38 degrees and a low around 27. The breeze is expected to be light.
Over the weekend, Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 26-27, the weather will be mostly sunny and cool with a high near 36 and a low of 20. Sunday will be slightly warmer than Saturday.
On Monday, Dec. 28, the rain may return. There is a 40 percent chance of showers.
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