Christmas Eve, 2015 Forecast Discussion

Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 66.

Your weather forecast this Christmas holiday will be different depending on where you’re planning to celebrate it. The forecast is a mixed bag – it will be damp and cool on the West Coast, while NY will see record highs. Thursday’s temperatures may not match the record but they are guaranteed to make you break a sweat.

The chance for rain could complicate Christmas Eve travel, especially for those headed south. A flash flood watch also remains in effect through Thursday evening for much of the D.C. area, including the District, Montgomery and Prince George’s counties, and Arlington, Falls Church, Alexandria, Fairfax and Prince William. Sunshine returned in their wake and resulted in record breaking warmth with highs in the upper 70s to low 80s. The Christmas Day prediction calls for a high of 63, with a 60 percent chance of rain Christmas night. Chance of precipitation is 40%. Strong east winds around 15 miles per hour will become north-northwest breezes in the afternoon, the weather service says.

FRIDAY NIGHT: Scattered rain showers continue with an overnight low temperature of 55 degrees. In terms of the statistical likelihood of snow based on climatology, we know that a snowflake has fallen somewhere in the United Kingdom on Christmas Day 38 times in the last 54 years, so we can probably expect more than half of all Christmas Days to be a “White Christmas”.

The above-average temperatures are expected to continue through the remainder of the winter season (December through February), due in large part to an El Nino weather pattern, according to Smith. Risk of severe weather could hinder traveling. Cloudy, with a high near 53. The forecast calls for rain to persist through most of the day until turning mostly sunny, but with a catch.

Sunday: Rain likely before 8 a.m. Cloudy, with a high near 57.

SUNDAY NIGHT: A few rain showers will be possible, with an overnight low temperature of 44 degrees.