Details are coming into focus around what will be quite a strong storm for the Eastern Seaboard for Christmas Eve. Model guidance is in unanimous agreement for a strong band of showers and thunderstorms ahead of the cold front that could produce occasional damaging wind gusts during the afternoon and early evening hours. The good news is that this activity should get out of here by the time Santa is ready to make his rounds in the Lowcountry.

Wednesday will be the last rain-free shopping day before Christmas. Cloud cover will be filling in as the day goes on ahead of what looks to be a fairly potent storm system for Christmas Eve. Temperatures around the area will start out chilly — low 40s, with wind chills around 37-38° possible with a light breeze — before warming into the mid-60s despite the cloud cover. A shower or two can’t be ruled out closer to midnight Wednesday as well.

We have a rather gorgeous Tuesday ahead as high pressure moves along to our northeast. Downslope flow will continue, allowing temperatures to warm back into the low 60s for the afternoon after starting out in the low 40s under full sunshine.

We’ll start the last few days before Christmas a little warmer than we have been of late, but Santa has cold high pressure for us for Christmas and beyond as we get into the holiday weekend.

If you want to get outside a bit this weekend and enjoy some legitimate sweater weather, Saturday is the day to do it — we’ll have a mix of sun and clouds with highs topping out in the mid-50s. Rain should hold off until after midnight, with periods of showers in the cards for Sunday. It’ll be a touch warmer despite the rain, but temperatures will continue to run below normal through the last shopping weekend before Christmas.

This evening, a coastal low is beginning to develop off the Georgia coast. This low will move northward tonight into tomorrow, eventually turning into quite the nor’easter for New England. Locally, expect periods of showers to continue tonight into Wednesday as the low lifts northward and a cold front approaches from the west. Temperatures will remain chilly, only topping out in the low 50s in the afternoon. The front will clear the area during the evening, giving way to drier air for Thursday.

Clouds will increase overnight into Tuesday morning, giving the day a mostly cloudy look with just a few peeks of sun possible in the morning and early afternoon hours. It’ll feel noticeably colder in the wake of today’s cold front — highs should only top out in the mid-50s.

As low pressure organizes off the coast and begins to move northward, some overrunning should take place, generating scattered light showers across the area by mid-afternoon. Showers will continue into the evening, with the best rain chances arriving with the cold front Wednesday.

After what ended up being a fairly nice weekend, we have one more day in the 70s before we’re back to more seasonable — if not a bit below-normal — temperatures across the Lowcountry for the last full week before Christmas. (Yes, it’s almost Christmas. It’s shocking to me, too.)

A cold front will swing through Monday, bringing a chance of showers to the area generally from mid-morning to early afternoon. High pressure will wedge in behind it, cooling us off but also keeping some cloud cover around for Tuesday. Another storm system will ride up the coast Wednesday, potentially turning into a decent nor’easter for the Mid-Atlantic states and New England. We’ll see mostly sunny skies with continued chilly temperatures to close out the work week. Clouds increase for the weekend, with perhaps some showers on Sunday.

We’ve got a warmer-than-normal weekend ahead of us as high pressure slips offshore and a cold front approaches from the west.

Friday will remain mostly sunny after some patches of possibly dense fog in the morning. Highs will top out right around 70°, making for a nice afternoon across the area. Similar temperatures are expected Saturday despite more cloud cover. A slight shower chance comes into the forecast late Saturday, continuing into Sunday. Temperatures will top out in the low 70s on Sunday ahead of the cold front.

No washout is expected this weekend — just keep rain gear handy in case a shower comes through. The majority of the rain associated with the front will come through Monday, with the heaviest rains looking to remain to our north.

Mostly sunny skies and warmer temperatures will make for a very nice Thursday across the Lowcountry. Expect temperatures to start out in the upper 30s to low 40s in the morning, followed by highs topping out in the mid-60s — just a touch above normal for December 10.