Maryland Weather Blog: Roller Coaster Temperatures As Christmas Approaches (And Some Notes For Santa)
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Happy Christmas week!
We have been lucky to enjoy a beautiful first full day of winter, which officially arrived Monday morning in the Northern Hemisphere. This week will feature a bit of temperature whiplash though -- we go from the 40s Wednesday to near 60 on Christmas Eve, then to the low 30s as we start the weekend! Quite the roller coaster ride in Baltimore.
A strong cold front will be the vehicle that drops our high temperatures into the 30s. It is set to arrive on Christmas Eve. Before the front moves through, a surge of warm air is expected as temperatures near 60 degrees in some areas on Christmas Eve.
Computer models are showing rain arriving by Thursday afternoon. The strongest part of the front will push through Thursday evening, and it will be accompanied by gusty winds and heavy rain.
Rain amounts of 1-2" could lead to some localized flooding, and winds could gust anywhere from 50-60 miles per hour inland and up to 70 miles per hour down the ocean! The strongest part of the system will arrive between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m., and a bona fide squall line may even develop along the front. Colder air will arrive on the back side of the cold front, and depending on the timing, will transition the precipitation to snow, especially for areas north and west of I-95.
Christmas will feature much colder weather. Highs will only be in the 30s; however, gusty winds will make it feel more like the teens!
With all that said, we know that Santa can handle ANYTHING!
Santa: if you are reading this, here are some notes for you and the weather during your sleigh ride:
- Raincoats might be a good idea for your reindeer.
- You will experience a bit of turbulence during your sleigh ride.
- And make sure to bundle up as you exit Maryland because much colder air will be arriving overnight.
Happy Holidays,
Meteorologist Chelsea Ingram