Friday, November 15

Christmas with extreme weather: Snowfall, floods and heat wave


Las nevadas continuarán en el Oeste, según NWS.
Snowfall will continue in the West, according to NWS.

Photo: Michael Ciaglo / Getty Images

Maria Ortiz

Residents along the west coast of the United States can expect to see flash floods due to heavy rains during the weekend of Christmas , while snow will accumulate in the mountains , creating extremely difficult road conditions.

Meanwhile, in the central and southern United States, warm temperatures have made winter look like spring.

The National Weather Service ( NWS) warns that it will be a “wet, wintry, windy, white Christmas for some in the west with dangerous travel conditions in mountainous terrain.”

Storms have already washed away or damaged parts of some mountain roads in the south Of California.

This is typical on mountain roads during storms. Photos depict last night on SR 243 and this morning on SR 111 heading to Palm Springs. Please avoid travel during these storms. And never cross over running water as shown above. pic.twitter.com/n0YDyssiT7

— Caltrans District 8 (@ Caltrans8) December 24, 2021

The National Meteorological Service has issued a flood warning until 12: 30 am tonight, local time, for West Los Angeles County and Ventura in southern California , with possible urban and small stream flooding, as well as a flood advisory in parts of Arizona through Friday afternoon.

Flash Flood Warnings for Southern California cover more than 10 million people, including San Diego, Anaheim, San Bernardino and Palm Springs during e weekend.

Winter storms including could bring a rare chance of snow to Seattle and Portland .

Parts of Northwest California, Rocky Mountain National Park, Washington State, Summit County Mountains, among other areas, are under warnings of winter storms, snowfall and dangerous weather forecasts over the weekend.

Cooler than normal conditions are expected for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.

The western US will continue to see periods of locally heavy rain and heavy snow through the weekend. High winds may cause power outages, difficult travel, and create critical fire weather today in the southern Rockies and Plains. Rain, snow, and ice in New England today. pic.twitter.com/0cd6sLFTGG

— National Weather Service (@NWS) December 23, 2021

Heavy snowfall is expected at higher elevations high, with total accumulations for certain areas potentially reaching up to 22 inches. On Christmas night, parts of the Sierra Nevada, Cascades and Salmon Mountains could measure more than four feet of snow. Residents are urged to delay all trips and to exercise caution if they must leave the house.

Unusually warm temperatures at Christmas?

Meanwhile, Areas across much of the central and southern United States are receiving Christmas weekend in unusually warm weather, with temperatures that could break records.

“Those who dream of a white Christmas in much of the central and southern United States have to settle for spring temperatures this Christmas, ”said the National Meteorological Service on Friday.

Active West, warm South, & weak wintry systems in the Northeast persists. Burn scar flash flooding potential in the Southwest, feet of mountain snow with lowering snow levels, & powerful winds creating areas of critical fire weather risks into the Plains are expected. pic.twitter.com/mSSgyKVhmn

— National Weather Service (@NWS) December 24, 2021

The states from the middle valley of the Mississippi to West Texas could see their warmest Christmas Eve and Christmas Day ever recorded, with high temperatures from 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit during the day, predicts the weather agency.

Parts of the central and southern United States may experience their warmest Christmas Eve and #Christmas Day on record, with highs climbing into the 70 s and 80 s (30 + degrees above average!). Meanwhile, bitterly cold air is expected to remain across the Northern High Plains. pic.twitter.com/TXQ8a7VAdh— NWS Weather Prediction Center (@NWSWPC) December 24, 2021

That would be more than 30 degrees above average. Temperatures from the Ohio Valley to the Southern Plains are forecast to be between 25 and 54 degrees above normal .

The extremes of hot and cold will continue next week

The National Weather Service predicted that dangerous cold will spread across the northwest and northern plains with temperatures well below normal across the west by the middle of next week . However, before this e blast of cold air there will be record heat where dozens of records can fall .

The Eastern US stays on the warmer side as we approach the new year, but a surge of cold entering from Canada will see temperatures plunging from the Northern Plains to the Pacific Northwest as we enter the inter-holiday week. pic.twitter.com/izNCjI2IlK— National Weather Service (@NWS) December 22, 2021

From Texas to Southeast United States, will feel less like December and more like spring.

Along with warm temperatures, the Storm Prediction Center issued a level 2 out of 3 of critical fire hazard for parts of West Texas on Friday.

Red flag warnings are spread over parts of New Mexico, Texas and Oklahoma, where sustained winds of 30 miles per hour and Dry conditions could easily lead to a wildfire escalation.

With information from NWS, CNN and CBS News

It may interest you:

– Winter Storm: Heavy rain will have most of California on Christmas Eve

– A large collision of dozens of vehicles was caused by the frost on the Wisconsin highway

– Climate change contributed to some of the worst weather events in 2020

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