For those of you keeping score, winter officially began at 2:22 pm local time today (Friday.) And as is not always the case, this time the weather will play along.

A few light mountain showers should dry up for Saturday, before a moderate winter storm makes its way into the region late Sunday into early Christmas morning. Saturday’s high temperature will peak in the upper 40s with light winds, climbing to the low 50s on Sunday. By Sunday afternoon some light to moderate precipitation should start in the mountains, with winds picking up, especially along the ridgetops. A Winter Storm Watch has been posted for the mountains starting Monday morning and going into Christmas morning, with a few inches likely at Lake level, and a foot or more possible in the upper elevations.

As for the valleys, rain showers with gusty winds are likely Monday. As the cold front moves through the snow levels will drop to the valley floors, giving us a chance of a white Christmas, although the airmass should dry up with the passage of the front and accumulations should be limited in the lower valleys.