ENJOY IT WHILE IT LASTS...

December is coming in (briefly) like a lamb before things ramp up here. Let's talk about some good, though first - a nice, mild weekend ahead. Friday started it off with temperatures that were 10 to 20 degrees above normal across the Midwest.

This warmth will continue through Monday. Here are the projected high temperatures Saturday, Sunday and Monday:

Temperatures will be in the 60s in parts of the Midwest and will likely be several degrees away from records, but still *well* above normal.

And then, of course, the bottom falls out. We go from this on Sunday....

To this on Tuesday...

This storm system is going to drag down some coolllldd air, which will send temperatures below normal and keep them there through the end of the week. Tuesday's high temperatures are a far cry from Monday's...

Half that of Monday's highs! Then factor in the wind and it's going to be feeling like winter out there!

This first system will also bring the potential for snow, but there is still some uncertainty in the exact placement and amounts (as it is still five days out of course). Here are the latest runs of the GFS, European and NAM:

Right now there is consistency in Minnesota seeing some measurable snowfall Monday night into Tuesday morning. The European even has snow as far south as southwest Iowa! This is just telling of the discrepancies and uncertainty in where the snow will fall. Some part of the Midwest will be seeing snow early next week. And the pattern remains a cold, active, wintry one!

Above is the upper level pattern from Tuesday the 5th to Monday the 11th and we have a trough in overhead with near and below normal temperatures. So it looks like we'll have the cold.. time will tell where the flakes will land. In the meantime, enjoy the mild start to December while it lasts!

RK