[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ugK54g0j420?hl=en&fs=1&w=425&h=349]

DUD TO END 2011: The weather pattern looks to remain mostly quiet to end the year. Outside of a few light rain or snow showers Thursday into Friday. Temperatures will remain at or above seasonal norms at least through the end of the year.

COLDER TO BEGIN 2012: The GFS, GEM and the ECMWF all agree that temperatures are going to get colder to begin 2012. a storm system will move across southern Canada, dragging an arctic front through the state. However, this system will NOT bring any snow with it. It will bring temperatures back to winter levels. Best news is that with no snow on the ground, temperatures won’t drop as far as they would have if there had been snow on the ground, thus temperatures are likely going to be in the 20s to low 30s for highs with lows in the teens, which is average for the beginning of January. There could be a system toward the second week of the new year that may bring some snow to the state, but we’ve seen this time and again on the model runs. We’re teased with snow in the offing only for it to disappear a run or two later. We’ll see.

SPORTS WEATHER: Weather looks to be a tale of two bowls regarding Iowa and Iowa State. The New Era Pinstripe Bowl in New York City for Iowa State looks to have a 20-30% chance of some showers with temperatures in the mid to upper 40s for kickoff against Rutgers, while in Tempe AZ at the Insight Bowl, Iowa will have clear skies and temperatures in the mid 60s for kickoff against the Oklahoma Sooners. More on the video.