MID-WEEK RAIN PRECEDES A DRY CHRISTMAS

1. 36-48 hour period of December chill takes shape for Friday and Saturday. Temps hit the upper 40s Friday, but highs will struggle to reach 40 on Saturday on a brisk northwest wind. Wind-chill values Saturday will be in the 20s and 30s all day; a few flurries are possible both days.

2. Short-lived chill lingers Sunday with less wind.  By Monday,  temps once again rebound to above-normal levels.  Clouds increase for Monday afternoon into Tuesday.

NOAA: Temps from 12am Sunday to 11pm Monday

NOAA: Temps from 12am Tuesday to 11pm Wednesday

3. Rain arrives early Wednesday with warm temps.  Rain continues for a 6-10 hour period on Wednesday before tapering off Wednesday night.

4.  Record highs are likely on Christmas Eve with plenty of clouds and a few showers late.  Thursday night,  a weak cold front clears the area of rain and lowers our temps for Christmas Day. Passage of aforementioned frontal boundary should dash any hopes of cracking the top 5 warmest Christmas "days" on record, but it'll be close, with high temps in the 50s.

NOAA: Warmest recorded temps for 12/25 at Central Park

5.  After this weekend, no significant cold for the remainder of the month. Much like last winter, any pattern change to cold and stormy won't come before January 10.