There wasn't a white Christmas in this streak of record warmth, but First Alert forecasters have their eyes on the season's first snow next Tuesday.
We're in for a mild weekend with rain moving in Saturday night to close Boxing Day and ending very early Sunday morning.
Sunday is the wettest weekend day with two rounds of showers: one early in the day, and another late in the evening. In between, it will still be cloudy. Temperatures will once again return to the lower 60s.
Monday is a day of transition.
The day will start with sunshine before increasing clouds roll in. The typical high clouds before a storm will spread over the region and result in considerable cloudiness. More importantly, high pressure over Quebec provide a flow of cold, very dry air on a north and northeast wind.
That sets the stage for the season's first winter storm.
A mix of sleet, snow and even some freezing rain is possible after midnight.
Local
The Tuesday morning commute looks slick, particularly in northern Connecticut. It's still uncertain how much snow will fall, but a couple inches is possible. Any mix will likely transition over to rain fairly quickly along the shore.
Tuesday morning into the afternoon will likely transition into rain.
The one factor that will help is the unfrozen ground. It's warm and moist. That may decrease the chance for prolonged freezing rain or even impact how the snow accumulates.
Wednesday brings drier weather, with perhaps a mix of clouds and sunshine. There's some question as to how much low level moisture will be left, which cloud result in more clouds and even drizzle.
Another system brings rain showers on Thursday (New Year's Eve) with temperatures in the 40s.
So, while there are signs of winter in the forecast and some snow-making weather to be found, the temperatures generally remain above average heading into the final day of the year.
