[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q4OiVqCTT1w?hl=en&fs=1&w=425&h=349]

WET EARLY WEEK: It’s going to be an abnormal December week across the state. Instead of seeing snow, we’ll be seeing rain and lots of it. A good chance of at least an inch of rain over the southern half of the state through Wednesday night with this system that is expected to move in later on Tuesday. Up until then, there is a chance of some drizzle today mainly across the eastern counties. Some of it may freeze to the ground early in the morning as temperatures will be below the freezing mark. Locations in northwest Iowa will get into the Freezing Drizzle/Rain act Tuesday into Wednesday, with cold air (mainly from the snowpack) keeping temperatures down, some of the precipitation may fall in the form of some freezing drizzle or freezing rain before switching to all rain on Wednesday. A few hundredths of an inch of ice are possible with this system, which may cause some travel issues in that area. Most of the precipitation will be out of the state before the cold air filters in late Wednesday night into Thursday morning.

ANOTHER ONE: The next system that is forecast to come around next weekend, may be similar to this one early in the week. Temperatures by this point will have rebounded back into the 30s for highs after a few days of readings in the 20s. The rain will move in on Sunday, however more cold air will be involved with this system, so the precipitation may change over to a mix and or snow across the state. It’s too early to determine any accumulations this far out, but we’ll have to keep an eye out on it. This looks like the best chance yet at a snow cover for Christmas Day.