“I’m dreaming of a white Christmas
Just like the ones I used to know
Where the tree tops glisten
And children listen
To hear sleigh bells in the snow, oh, the snow.”
— Irving Berlin
MANSFIELD — If you’re headed over the river and through the woods to grandma’s house for Christmas, you had best dress warm.
With all due apologies to the 1884 poem written by Lydia Maria Child, that river may be frozen and those woods are going to be very cold.
As in, below-zero cold.
As in, Santa’s sleigh won’t have an issue gliding on the snow.
As in, that roaring fire may be needed for more than roasting chestnuts.
The National Weather Service office in Cleveland has issued a hazardous weather outlook for next weekend, an unusual move still five days out.
“Widespread cold temperatures and gusty winds are expected, and wind chills below zero are possible. Widespread snow accumulations are also possible,” according to the meteorologists in Cleveland.
Let’s take you through the week on what’s expected. Pay attention. The winter fun comes at the end of the week.
Today — A chance of snow showers. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 29. West winds around 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent. Total daytime snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible. Tonight will be partly cloudy, with a low around 19. West winds 9 to 13 mph.
Monday/Monday night –Partly sunny, with a high near 31. West wind 6 to 9 mph. Overnight, it will be mostly cloudy, with a low around 23. Southwest wind around 5 mph becoming calm in the evening.
Tuesday/Tuesday night: It will be partly sunny, with a high near 36. Light and variable wind becoming south around 6 mph in the morning. It will be mostly cloudy Tuesday night with a low around 25.
Wednesday/Wednesday night: It will be partly sunny, with a high near 33. There is a chance of snow after 1 a.m. and then mostly cloudy, with a low around 28. Chance of precipitation is 30 percent.
Thursday/Thursday night: The winter plot begins to thicken. Rain and snow are likely with a high near 36. The chance of precip jumps to 70 percent. Rain and snow continues Thursday night with a low around 19.
Friday/Friday night: Snow likely (60 percent chance). Mostly cloudy with a high near 20. There is a chance of snow Friday night — but the low will tumble to just 6 degrees.
Christmas Eve: Mostly cloudy and cold with a high reaching only single digits on Saturday Breezy with west-southwest winds of 25 to 35 miles per hour with higher gusts possible. Those temps will drop even further as Santa Claus arrives overnight — dipping down below zero.
Christmas Day: The high Sunday will again not escape single digits and may fall below zero again as moms and dads unwind on the couch and the kids enjoy those toys and games.
Stay warm and enjoy the season. Looking ahead to New Year’s Eve, it looks warmer, but wetter.
We will keep you advised.
