N.J. forecasters released the weather and travel outlook for Christmas week.
Christmas week will feel more like Easter vacation this year.
Expect it to be wet, warm and busy.
A series of storms more typical of spring will bring rounds of drenching rain to New Jersey during the week of Christmas, according to AccuWeather.
And record warmth is possible. Enough rain can fall at times to raise the potential for flash and urban flooding in some communities, and force motorists to slow down on the highways, according to AccuWeather.
The combination of rain and a low cloud ceiling may also induce airline delays at times, according to an AccuWeather release, adding, “The weather will be warm enough and the systems strong enough to bring rare December thunderstorms.”
AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Elliot Abrams, in the AccuWeather release, said enough warmth will rebuild in the East to keep snow out of the picture next week.
According to an extended forecast released by the Weather Channel on Wednesday night, temperatures in New Jersey will be in the 60s on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
The Weather Channel’s extended forecast predicts a chance of showers on Christmas Eve, with a high temperature in the mid 60s. There is a 50 percent chance of rain on Christmas Eve.
On Christmas Day, the Weather Channel calls for temperatures in the low 60s, with partly cloudy skies. There is a 20 percent chance of rain, according to the Weather Channel’s extended forecast.
If the weather was cold enough, the storms could bring 1-2 feet of snow next week. For this to happen, the temperature would have to be 20-30 degrees Fahrenheit lower in many cases, according to AccuWeather.
AccuWeather Chief Long Range Meteorologist Paul Pastelok said that while confidence is high with the overall warm and wet pattern, trying to time each storm beyond a few days in advance is challenging in this case.
One scenario favors one or two strong storms, which would increase the risk for a severe weather outbreak and flooding that could also threaten lives and property, according to AccuWeather. This scenario would allow more of a gap between storms and, possibly, a big storm on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day.
