KOAM TV 7 Joplin and PittsburgSunday PM December 18th

Sunday PM December 18th

Good evening, folks. I apologize for the delay of the latest blog, but I wanted to be sure I had a good forecast down before I laid a finger to the keyboard. Let's start with today, though. It was another great day with sunshine to start. Even with the increase of clouds during the day, we managed to climb into the middle and upper 50s for afternoon highs. However, enjoy the quiet hours of tonight because a little storm system wants to cause a bit of mischief to start the work week ahead.

Current Radar:

Maybe a few rain showers are trying to get going across the panhandle of Oklahoma and southwestern Kansas but the radar will really light up when we head into Monday morning.

Turns out that Doug had the behavior of this system pegged from the get go. The surface low will track to our south and give us plenty of chances for precipitation. However, the upper level low that plays a big role in bringing in cooler air doesn't want to move far enough south to let everyone in on the chance for snow and mixed precip. Even our in-house weather model agrees with that notion as we get into Tuesday...

When the system moves out on Wednesday morning, there may be enough moisture around to bring a few flurries to the area, but any major snow accumulations will stay along and west of I-35 and I-135 as you work into southwestern Kansas, the Texas/Oklahoma panhandles and New Mexico where blizzard warnings are already in place. From Thursday into Christmas Day, we're looking pretty quiet with a mix of clouds and sun with temperatures right around where they should be for this time of the year. Systems like these can change in an instant during the winter season, so you know that Doug and I are watching this system very closely. Have a great night, folks!

Nick

Here is your latest 7-day forecast.

 LONG RANGE FORECAST

Next Friday-Saturday:

We will have rain or snow chances on Friday.  This will be a fast moving wave that punches right on through.  Another wave will be pushing in over the weekend.  The timing is difficult at this time. 

December 25th-31st:

The second wave will most likely come in on Christmas or the day after.  Now this pattern has had a tendency to push through dry waves, so also something I will watch.  For now I will keep rain and snow chances in the forecast for Christmas and the 26th.  The cold and dry for a couple of days ahead of our next wave.  This will move in late in the week with rain and snow chances returning.

January 1st-7th:

Another wave with slight snow chances for the 1st and 2nd.  Then temperatures will moderate a bit with another wave around Thursday.  This will be mainly rain chances.  Then another wave over the weekend.

January 8th-14th: 

Rain and snow chances for the beginning of the week.  Yet another system for Wednesday through Friday with also rain and snow chances.