An impressive arctic cold front with a period of heavy rain and snow and rapidly falling temperatures is on the way.  One of the coldest Christmas weekends in 30 years will follow with the threat of a few snow showers.

TODAY

An arctic cold front will drive towards the region with periods of rain in the morning rapidly changing over to snow before ending with 1 to 3 inches of snow in the Poconos and Catskills and a trace to 2" of snow possible elsewhere.  As the cold front moves through, the intense rainfall will change over to brief heavy snowfall as temperatures crash rapidly.  Winds will veer from the southeast to the west at 10 to 20 mph with gusts over 40 mph.  Temperatures will peak in the lower to mid-40s over the interior and upper 40s to mid-50s along the coast in the morning and then crash into the 30s, 20s, and 10s in the afternoon.  A flash freeze is likely in the evening along with wind chills falling to around zero.

TONIGHT

A series of troughs will move through the region with scattered clouds and widely scattered snow showers.  Winds will be from the west at 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph at times.  Temperatures will fall into the single digits to mid-10s for lows with wind chills below zero at times.

TOMORROW

A series of troughs will move through the region with scattered snow showers.  Winds will be from the west at 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 40 mph.  Temperatures will rise into the mid to upper 10s over the interior and lower to mid-20s along the coast for highs.  Wind chill temperatures will be in the single digits below zero to above zero.

TOMORROW NIGHT

A series of troughs will move through the region with scattered clouds and widely scattered snow showers.  Winds will be from the west at 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 30 mph at times.  Temperatures will fall into the single digits to mid-10s for lows with wind chills below zero at times.

CHRISTMAS

A series of troughs will move through the region with widely scattered snow showers.  Winds will be from the west at 10 to 20 mph with gusts up to 35 mph.  Temperatures will rise into the lower to mid-10s over the interior and upper 10s to mid-20s along the coast for highs.  Wind chill temperatures will be in the single digits below zero to above zero.

MONDAY

High pressure will produce scattered clouds.  Winds will be from the west at 5 to 15 mph.  Temperatures will range from the single digits to lower 10s over the interior and mid to upper 10s along the coast for lows and upper 10s to the lower 20s over the interior and mid to upper 20s along the coast for highs.

TUESDAY

High pressure will move through the region with scattered clouds.  Temperatures will range from the upper 10s to mid-20s for lows and upper 20s to mid-30s for highs.

WEDNESDAY

An area of low pressure will produce scattered snow showers.  Temperatures will range from the single digits to mid-10s over the interior and upper 10s to mid-20s along the coast for lows and mid to upper 30s for highs.

THURSDAY

High pressure will produce scattered clouds.  Temperatures will range from the mid to upper 20s for lows and upper 30s to lower 40s over the interior and lower to mid-40s along the coast for highs.

FRIDAY

High pressure will produce scattered clouds.  Temperatures will range from the upper 20s to lower 30s for lows and upper 40s to lower 50s for highs.