NoVA Weather: Cold, Snow In December Long-Range Forecast

Sunny skies and highs in the 50s will make this weekend perfect for putting up outdoor Christmas lights, picking out a tree and shopping in Virginia. There's no rain and plenty of sunshine in the forecast, but it's December. It's going to be cold...eventually. In fact, the Capital Weather Gang says that after next week, expect December as a whole to be colder than average, although snowfall amounts should be less than normal.

The National Weather Service just released an updated 30-day forecast for the month. A "major" pattern change will result in some cold weather for the weeks to come, the National Weather Service says. The longwave pattern change is likely to occur during the first week of December, the NWS estimates.

"Following a mild start to December, this major pattern change is likely to usher in outbreak of below to much-below normal temperatures at least through mid-December," according to the 30-day outlook, which was released Thursday.

Cold air from Alaska will slide across the Midwest, East and South by the end of next week, bringing wintry conditions to the region. The Weather Gang says the change could be significant enough to bring the first colder-than-normal December since 2010.

"In all, we are forecasting average temperatures of 37-39 degrees, about 1-2 degrees colder than normal," predicts the Capital Weather Gang. "We think total liquid precipitation will be around 2 to 3 inches, which is below the 3.05 inch normal."

Both the European and U.S. computer models are in agreement that the pattern shift "strongly favors" below-normal temperatures across the Eastern United States, the National Weather Service says.

"A cold front, associated with the onset of the major pattern change is expected to result in precipitation amounts of 0.5 to 2 inches across the Eastern United States during the first week of December," the monthly outlook says.

In the Baltimore-Washington DC, region, that precipitation will fall as rain next week, with highs still in the 50s.

While December begins with a tranquil start, The Weather Channel says we shouldn't get used to it. In a post this morning, The Weather Channel says, "Much of the eastern United States can expect a colder-than-average start to winter, especially in the Northeast."

"...a weather pattern change is ahead in December, and the central and eastern U.S. will see shivering results," The Weather Channel says, while adding that the computer models are all in agreement about the much colder weather headed our way.

"This has resulted in a bolder and colder call than we would otherwise make, given the expected warm first week of December," said Dr. Todd Crawford, chief meteorologist with The Weather Company, according to The Weather Channel.

Here is the forecast:

Today: Sunny, with a high near 56. North wind 7 to 10 mph.
Tonight: Mostly clear, with a low around 36. North wind around 6 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Saturday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 51. Light and variable wind.
Saturday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 36. Light and variable wind.
Sunday: Sunny, with a high near 54. Calm wind becoming northwest around 5 mph in the morning.
Sunday Night: Mostly clear, with a low around 36.
Monday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 55.
Monday Night: Mostly cloudy, with a low around 43.
Tuesday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 59. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
Tuesday Night: Showers likely. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 46. Chance of precipitation is 60%.
Wednesday: A chance of showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53. Chance of precipitation is 50%.
Wednesday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 34.
Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 44.
Images via Accuweather.com, the National Weather Service, and Shutterstock