453
FXUS01 KWBC 221935
PMDSPD
SHORT RANGE FORECAST DISCUSSION
NWS WEATHER PREDICTION CENTER COLLEGE PARK MD
234 PM EST MON DEC 22 2025
VALID 00Z TUE DEC 23 2025 - 00Z THU DEC 25 2025
...HIGH RISK OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL FOR PORTIONS OF SOUTHERN
CALIFORNIA ON WEDNESDAY/WEDNESDAY NIGHT...
...VERY HEAVY SNOW FOR THE SIERRA NEVADA WITH FALLING SNOW
LEVELS...
...WIDESPREAD ANOMALOUS WARMTH ACROSS MOST OF THE COUNTRY LEADING
UP TO CHRISTMAS...
THE MAIN THING MAKING WEATHER HEADLINES LEADING UP TO CHRISTMAS
EVE WILL BE THE CONTINUED ONSLAUGHT OF HEAVY RAIN AND HEAVY
MOUNTAIN SNOW FROM ATMOSPHERIC RIVERS ACROSS MUCH OF CALIFORNIA.
THERE IS EXPECTED TO BE A BRIEF ABATEMENT IN THE PRECIPITATION
INTENSITY ON TUESDAY COMPARED TO YESTERDAY, WITH AREAS NORTH OF
SAN FRANCISCO MAINLY BEING IMPACTED WITH MODERATE RAINFALL AND
HEAVIEST ACROSS THE WESTERN SLOPES OF THE NORTHERN SIERRA NEVADA.
A MUCH STRONGER STORM SYSTEM ARRIVES TUESDAY NIGHT INTO WEDNESDAY
WITH MUCH OF CENTRAL AND THEN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA AFFECTED, WITH A
STEADY STREAM OF DEEP MOISTURE FROM THE PACIFIC ORIENTED DIRECTLY
TOWARDS THE TERRAIN. MOISTURE ANOMALIES ARE QUITE ELEVATED WITH
THIS ATMOSPHERIC RIVER EVENT, AND THIS WILL LIKELY LEAD TO MANY OF
THE HEAVILY POPULATED AREAS OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA GETTING A FEW
INCHES OF RAINFALL, AND PERHAPS SIX INCHES OR MORE IN THE ELEVATED
TERRAIN OF THE TRANSVERSE RANGES. THIS WILL LIKELY RESULT IN
SERIOUS FLOODING AND POTENTIAL MUDSLIDES, AND THE WEATHER
PREDICTION CENTER HAS A HIGH RISK OF EXCESSIVE RAINFALL FOR
WEDNESDAY/CHRISTMAS EVE. ANOTHER AREA OF CONCENTRATED
PRECIPITATION WILL BE OVER THE SIERRA NEVADA, WITH SNOW LEVELS
FALLING COMPARED TO RECENT DAYS. THIS WILL EQUATE TO SEVERAL FEET
OF SNOW, LEADING TO SEVERE TRAVEL DISRUPTIONS FOR THE HIGHER
MOUNTAIN PASSES, SO HAVING AN ALTERNATE TRAVEL PLAN IS PRUDENT
SHOULD ROAD CLOSURES HAPPEN.
ACROSS THE EASTERN U.S., A LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM CURRENTLY OVER THE
MIDWEST STATES WILL QUICKLY CROSS THE GREAT LAKES AND THEN REACH
THE NORTHEAST U.S. BY LATE TUESDAY. A SWATH OF SNOW AND MIXED
WINTRY PRECIPITATION IS LIKELY WELL AHEAD OF THE SURFACE WARM
FRONT ACROSS THE NORTHERN MID-ATLANTIC INTO NEW ENGLAND, WITH THE
HEAVIEST SNOW LIKELY TO BE ACROSS MAINE AS THE LOW DEVELOPS
FURTHER UPON EXITING THE EAST COAST. A FEW INCHES OF ACCUMULATION
WILL BE POSSIBLE ACROSS MAINLY INLAND PORTIONS OF THE REGION, AND
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORIES ARE NOW IN EFFECT FOR THOSE AREAS. LIGHT
SHOWERS ARE LIKELY TO THE SOUTH FROM THE OHIO VALLEY TO THE
CENTRAL MID-ATLANTIC THROUGH EARLY TUESDAY. IMPROVING CONDITIONS
ARRIVE IN TIME FOR CHRISTMAS EVE.
ELSEWHERE ACROSS THE COUNTRY, EXPECT MAINLY DRY CONDITIONS FROM
THE ROCKIES EASTWARD TO THE MIDWEST STATES, AND MOST OF THE
SOUTHERN PLAINS TO THE DEEP SOUTH, WITH A FEW ISOLATED SHOWERS
POSSIBLE ACROSS THE SOUTH-CENTRAL U.S. THROUGH MID-WEEK.
TEMPERATURES WILL CONTINUE TO BE WELL ABOVE NORMAL FOR THIS TIME
OF YEAR ACROSS MOST OF THE COUNTRY, AND HIGHS ARE EXPECTED TO
REACH WELL INTO THE 70S FROM TEXAS TO SOUTH CAROLINA, AND NEAR 80
DEGREES ACROSS SOUTHERN TEXAS. WIDESPREAD 50S AND 60S ARE LIKELY
FROM THE CENTRAL PLAINS TO THE OHIO VALLEY. MULTIPLE RECORD HIGH
TEMPERATURES ARE WITHIN THE REALM OF POSSIBILITY. THE ONLY
PORTIONS THAT WILL CLOSER TO SEASONAL AVERAGES WILL BE NEAR THE
CANADIAN BORDER AND NEW ENGLAND.
HAMRICK
GRAPHICS AVAILABLE AT
HTTPS://WWW.WPC.NCEP.NOAA.GOV/BASICWX/BASICWX_NDFD.PHP
CLICK HERE TO GO TO PREVIOUS BULLETINS.
Main Text Page