People in the Northeast woke up to snow on the first day of winter, with snowfall totals ranging from a dusting to six inches. The highest total was in Milton, Massachusetts at 9.4 inches. A strong cold front brought the snow showers before moving off shore, with temperatures staying 10-20 degrees below average. More snow is possible in the mid-Appalachians and Great Lakes Saturday night, with Winter Alerts remaining in place. Breezy winds up to 35 mph are also expected. Freeze alerts are in effect for Florida and Georgia, and Cold Weather Advisories for parts of New York, Massachusetts, and Pennsylvania.
In the northwest, heavy rain and mountain snow are falling from California to Washington state, with alerts in place for California, Oregon, and Wyoming. Higher elevations can expect snowfall and rainfall totals of 0.5-3 inches.
In contrast, the western half of the country is experiencing temperatures 10-25 degrees above average, with potential records in cities like Phoenix, Palm Springs, and Las Vegas. By Sunday, the warmer air will spread to the Plains, with highs as much as 30 degrees warmer than average. Temperatures throughout the lower 48 states will be above average on Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. While a white Christmas is unlikely due to the warm weather, a wintry Christmas Eve is possible in some areas.
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