Cold, blustery start to meteorological winter

Some sunshine and unseasonably cold weather settled in to open the month of December, with temperatures only reaching 31 degrees. Afternoon clouds lingered this evening, and will only slowly dissipate toward morning, as temperatures plunge into the upper 10s.

A reinforcing blast of cold air Monday will trigger a few afternoon snow showers and patchy cloud cover. Afternoon highs will only be near freezing and morning lows around 20 Monday and Tuesday in a brisk northwesterly flow.

The next chance for rain and snow showers will come with a fast-moving system sweeping across the Great Lakes Wednesday, but with limited moisture allowing spotty snow and rain showers later in the day. Temperatures will briefly warm to near 40 degrees, followed by another arctic surge and scattered flurries later in the week.

Forecast

• Tonight: Gradual clearing. Low 19
• Monday: Mix clouds and sun, flurries p.m. High 30 (19)
• Tuesday: Partly cloudy. High 35 (20)
• Wednesday: Cloudy, rain/snow showers. Highs 40 (26)
• Thursday: Partly sunny, breezy, colder. High 28 (25)
• Friday: Mostly sunny. High 31 (19)
• Saturday: Clouds increase. High 33 (19)