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Josh Classen's Winter Solstice forecast: Warmest day of the week

wxblog Dec. 21

Today is the Winter Solstice, the day with the fewest daylight hours (a little less than 7.5 hours between sunrise and sunset).

It's also the first day in over a week with a daytime high in the -5 C range.

Arctic air WILL return by the end of the week. But, for a couple days, we get a break.

Temperatures should top out around -4 C this afternoon. Wind looks not bad: about 10-15 km/h.

AND...we'll get some snow this afteroon. It doesn't look like much for accumulation: 1 or 2 cm possible by late tonight.

Wednesday and Thursday also have a chance of some light snow. We could get 1 to 4 cm tomorrow and maybe a little bit more Thursday.

 

So, the bigger story is our brief warm up, followed by a return to the deep freeze.

 

It really wasn't THAT long ago that we were basking in above-average temperatures. Four of the first eleven days of December were above 0 C, including Dec. 11.

But, from Dec.13 through to yesterday, daytime highs have been below -10 C.

AND...last Friday didn't even make it above -20 C.

 

Get set for THAT level of cold to drop back in for Christmas and at the early part of next week (if not longer).

Today and tomorrow are mild. Thursday's the day that temperatures start to fall.

By Friday, we're right back into the freezer.

I have daytime highs in the -21 C to -26 C range with morning lows near or in the -30s.

 

How long will it last? The models all show this next cold spell lasting through to the new year.

While that's the most likely scenario, the long-range outlooks sometimes miss these one or two-day warm-ups (like we're getting today).

So, I don't have any single-digit daytime high after Thursday of this week in my forecast. AND...I really don't see where we might get any sort of break.

In fact, I think it might even be optimistic with a few of my forecast daytime highs.

That said...these deepfreezes DO sometimes "break" unexpectedly for short periods of time and I won't rule out a chance we get a one or two-day reprieve from the cold next week.

 

***On a personal note: this is my last day of work for 2021. I'll return on Jan. 4. So, no WxBlogs or WxBlast videos until then. Have a wonderful holiday season, merry Christmas and all the best to you and your loved ones in 2022.

 

Here's the forecast for Edmonton:

 

Today - Mostly cloudy. Periods of light snow/flurries this afternoon.

WINTER SOLSTICE

High: -4

 

Tonight - Cloudy. Flurries ending.

9pm: -6

 

Wednesday - Mostly cloudy. 70% chance of light snow. 1 to 4 cm possible.

Morning Low: -9

Afternoon High: -6

 

Thursday - Mostly cloudy. 60% chance of light snow in the morning.

Temperature slowly dropping.

Morning: -13

Afternoon: -17

 

Friday - Mix of sun & cloud.

CHRISTMAS EVE

Morning Low: -24

Afternoon High: -21

 

Saturday - Partly cloudy.

CHRISTMAS DAY

Morning Low: -31

Afternoon High: -25

 

Sunday - Mostly cloudy. 30% chance of flurries.

Morning Low: -29

Afternoon High: -23  

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