The National Weather Service warns that a strong cold front is set to arrive on Christmas Eve, expected to move through the Tri-State region Thursday, December 24, 2020, bringing with it the possibility of severe weather, including damaging wind gusts and a couple of tornadoes.
There is a marginal risk for severe weather late Wednesday night into Thursday and a photo (below) is attached.
Very cold temperatures are expected behind the front Friday into Saturday morning.
A strong frontal passage will occur Thursday and the wind field ahead of the front is quite strong but the main limiting factor is instability and how far inland any instability will reach.
A squall line will accompany the front, and given the strength of the wind field, damaging wind gusts are possible.
The greatest threat for a few brief tornadoes will be across the Florida counties and perhaps reaching the I-75 corridor of southwest Georgia.
Behind the front, breezy conditions will linger through the day Thursday with sustained winds of 20-30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph. Highs Friday will mainly be in the low to mid 40s and near 50 degrees at the coast.
Clearing skies and light winds will set the stage for low to mid 20s over much of the area north of I-10 and approaching 30 degrees near the coast Saturday morning.
