Despite the lack of a white Christmas forecasted for the Northeast, people woke up to snow on the first day of winter, with snowfall totals ranging from a dusting to six inches. Strong cold fronts and below-average temperatures are keeping the region chilly, with snow possible in the mid-Appalachians and Great Lakes areas. Freeze alerts are in effect for northeast Florida and southeast Georgia, and Cold Weather Advisories are in place in parts of New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, heavy rain and mountain snow are drenching the northwest, with alerts in place for California, Oregon, and Wyoming. The warmer western half of the country is experiencing temperatures 10-25 degrees above average, with potential records in Phoenix, Tucson, Palm Springs, and Las Vegas. This warm air will spread over the Plains by Sunday, with highs up to 30 degrees warmer than average. The warm weather will continue throughout the lower 48 states, with Christmas Eve and Christmas Day expected to be warm as well. While a white Christmas may not be in the forecast for most areas, a wintry Christmas Eve and snowy holiday is possible in some regions.
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The Northeast greeted by wintry weather on the first day of the season
