Warm and wet Christmas; Colder air arrives this week

Christmas Day will be unseasonably warm but windy with afternoon rain that will continue through the evening.

Today’s high temperature will reach near 60 degrees, which is 20 degrees above normal for this time of year, according to the National Weather Service in Wilmington.

Rain will arrive across the region starting in the late morning to afternoon, mainly after 4 p.m., with showers likely to continue before taping off by midnight. Wind gusts out of the southeast will increase into the afternoon hours, with gusts of 20 to 30 mph possible, the NWS said.

The overnight low will be around 52 degrees with wind gusts as high as 32 mph possible.

Tuesday will be cloudy and warm with a high near 59 degrees along with a chance of rain.

There is a chance of rain Tuesday night, mainly before 11 p.m. Otherwise, it will be mostly cloudy with an overnight low around 37 degrees.

Wednesday will be partly sunny and cooler with a high near 49 degrees. Wednesday night will be mostly cloudy with an overnight low around 34 degrees. There is a chance of rain, mainly after 3 a.m.

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