Big Changes in White Plains' Christmas Weekend Weather Forecast

WHITE PLAINS, NY — Yes, it’s finally officially winter.

The winter solstice arrived at 5:44 a.m. and, from this point on, the days will be getting longer.

So, with a few brutally cold days and, in many spots, a few inches of snow behind us, what’s next in the lead up to Christmas Day?

“Right on cue… things will warm up,” said Bill Potter of Hudson Valley Weather. “Now, don’t expect an immediate surge of warmth in the Hudson Valley... but at least we’ll see an improvement on the daily highs in the 20s that we’ve been saddled with.”

It will not be as warm as it was last year at this time, but you will be able to feel the difference, with high temperatures around 40.

If you have travel plans for the holiday weekend, the only wrinkle is the possibility of scattered rain and snow showers on Saturday.

Here is the updated forecast through Christmas Day from the National Weather Service:

• Today: Mostly sunny, with a high near 41. Wind chill values between 25 and 35. West wind 5 to 8 mph.
• Tonight: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 31. Calm wind.
• Thursday: A slight chance of showers between 9am and 3pm. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. Light and variable wind becoming northwest 8 to 13 mph in the morning. Chance of precipitation is 20%.
• Thursday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 30. Northwest wind 9 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 25 mph.
• Friday: Sunny, with a high near 43. West wind 7 to 10 mph.
• Friday Night: Increasing clouds, with a low around 30.
• Saturday: A chance of snow before 9am, then a chance of rain and snow between 9am and 11am, then a chance of rain after 11am. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 44. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
• Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 31.
• Christmas Day: Mostly sunny, with a high near 44.

Map via AccuWeather.