After a tranquil week of weather, things are ramping up for the weekend. A strong winter storm will bring snow for the central and northern plains and heavy rain to the Mississippi and Ohio River basins. Five day rainfall totals will be one to as much as 3 inches, as shown below:
Wintry weather is unlikely in the Ohio River basin either this weekend or on New Year Eve or Day. A slow cooling trend will ensue in the new year, ultimately resulting in more wintry conditions, but the transition will likely take a while.