The Winter Solstice arrives Friday with the start of winter at 4:23 central time. Thanks to the large trough moving across the southeast cold air is filtering into the region. This will mean a cold start to the weekend.

Temperatures by Saturday morning on the north shore will dip into the mid 30s. Most of the area should stay just above freezing, but we are going to see a chilly morning at 34-35 for most of the Florida parishes and southern Mississippi.

As is usually the case the cold air will dip around the western side of the lakes as well with some upper 30s down through the Houma area. Most of the south shore will drop to around 40.

This is a quick moving pattern however. Temperatures will rebound into the low 60s by Saturday afternoon and to around 70 by Sunday. Mild temperatures will be with us through most of next week. That will give us a very pleasant Christmas the way it looks right now with afternoon highs around 70.

There will be the chance for a few showers by Sunday afternoon but nothing real widespread.