Christmas Eve to Bring Rain, Milder Temperatures to Northeast

By Brian K. Sullivan

Dec. 22 (Bloomberg) -- The third winter storm system to strike the U.S. Northeast in a week will bring rain to New York City and southern New England on Christmas Eve and begin a period of milder weather that may last until January.

Temperatures in New York are forecast to climb to 50 degrees Fahrenheit (10 Celsius) on Dec. 24, from about 23 degrees today, according to the National Weather Service in Upton, New York.

“It is hard to believe stepping out the door this morning that 48 hours from now it is going to be raining,” said Tom Kines, a meteorologist with AccuWeather.com in State College, Pennsylvania.

The rain will come as much of the Northeast has been covered with ice and snow, starting with an ice storm on Dec. 11-12 that knocked out power to more than 1 million in New York and New England. Some areas from New York to Boston received more than 12 inches (30.5 centimeters) of snow from a pair of storms this past weekend.

Across the U.S., milder air is going to chase Arctic air back into Canada through early January, said Jim Rouiller, a senior energy meteorologist with Planalytics Inc. in Wayne, Pennsylvania.

“Philadelphia, New York City and Washington D.C. will see 50s late this week while Boston hits the 40s,” Rouiller said in an e-mail. “Any threat of longer term Arctic invasions into the country will remain minimal into the first week of January.”

Christmas Snow Cover

The snow will absorb most of this week’s rain, keeping the ground covered through the Christmas holiday, Kines said. The region may then see more melting as temperatures climb over the weekend, potentially producing heavy fog and disrupting post- holiday travel, Kines said.

Rouiller said a mild Pacific jet stream will take hold over much of the U.S. and southern Canada this week, lifting temperatures.

“As this new pattern change takes hold over the next few days, a strong warm-up will develop across the eastern half of the country,” Rouiller said.

The upper Midwest and Great Lakes will also see milder temperatures, with highs in the 30s and 40s, from single digits in some areas today, he said.

To contact the reporters on this story: Brian K. Sullivan in Boston at bsullivan10@bloomberg.net