Merry Christmas Eve! This won't be a classic Christmas weather-wise. A big storm system will bring warm, wet, and windy conditions to the Capital Region today and tomorrow. Clouds are already in place, temperatures are on the way up, and things are getting a little gusty.
Patchy drizzle and foggy conditions will be around during the first part of your Christmas Eve. Showers will begin moving in from the west during the afternoon. The rain will be widespread by dinnertime.
The heaviest rain will fall overnight and into Christmas morning. We are expecting one to three inches of rain. The incoming heavy rain plus the unseasonably warm temperatures will cause rapid snow melt. This will lead to flooding concerns. A Flood Watch will be in effect through the entire area through 6 PM tomorrow. Low-lying areas should watch out for excessive runoff and possibly some quick water rises.
The wind will be strongest in the midst of the heaviest rain. Gusts of 40 to 50 mph are possible for valley locations. Meanwhile, the hills and mountains east of Albany could see gusts of 60 mph. Be sure to secure any light weight outdoor decorations. It won't be the best conditions for those inflatables.
The strong southerly winds will draw in a balmy feeling. Temperatures won't stop warming until tomorrow morning. This could be one of Albany's warmest Christmas Days with a high near 60°. We'll reach that mark in the morning. Colder air will filter in through the afternoon.
Rain will wind down during the second part of the day. We'll be left with a rather slushy snow pack. Some may squeeze out a few snow showers later in the day.
The weekend forecast is quieter but much colder with highs in the 30s. Another storm system will bring rain showers changing to snow early next week.
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