Merry Christmas!

For everyone celebrating today- Merry Christmas! Unfortunately, the weather won't be too Christmas-y in Chico this year, what with the rain and wind. It's probably best to stay indoors today. More from the National Weather Service:

GUSTY WINDS...RAIN AND MOUNTAIN SNOW EXPECTED TODAY...

A FAST MOVING COLD FRONT WILL SPREAD MORE RAIN AND SNOW ACROSS
NORTHERN CALIFORNIA TODAY AND TONIGHT. SNOW WILL BECOME STEADY
ABOVE 4500 FEET LATE THIS MORNING ALONG THE COASTAL RANGE...AND
OVER THE SHASTA COUNTY MOUNTAINS BY EARLY AFTERNOON. SNOW WILL
MOVE INTO THE MOUNTAINS SURROUNDING THE BURNEY BASIN BY LATE
AFTERNOON.

AT THIS TIME IT LOOKS LIKE THE CENTRAL VALLEYS WILL SEE STEADY
RAINFALL THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING. SOUTH TO SOUTHEAST WINDS WILL
INCREASE TO 15 TO 25 MPH LATER THIS MORNING. A COLD FRONT WILL
MOVE THROUGH LATER THIS AFTERNOON. WIND GUSTS TO 35 MPH ARE
POSSIBLE JUST AHEAD OF THE FRONT. THUNDERSTORMS MAY OCCUR IN
UNSTABLE AIR ALONG AND JUST BEHIND THE COLD FRONT LATE THIS
AFTERNOON AND THIS EVENING.

TOTAL RAINFALL AMOUNTS WILL RANGE BETWEEN THREE QUARTERS OF AN INCH
TO AN INCH FOR THE CENTRAL VALLEYS. SIMILAR AMOUNTS ARE EXPECTED
IN THE FOOTHILLS. HIGHER RAINFALL AMOUNTS ARE POSSIBLE IN THE
SHASTA DRAINAGE AREA...BUT THE FAST MOVING NATURE OF THE FRONT
WILL LIMIT OVERALL RAINFALL.

PERIODS OF MODERATE TO HEAVY SNOW ARE POSSIBLE OVER THE HIGHER
PEAKS OF THE COASTAL MOUNTAINS THIS EVENING. SNOW LEVELS WILL
DROP TO 2500 TO 3500 FEET EARLY SUNDAY MORNING ALONG THE COASTAL
RANGE AND SHASTA COUNTY MOUNTAINS AS SNOW TAPERS OFF TO SCATTERED
SNOW SHOWERS. LITTLE ACCUMULATION IS EXPECTED AT THESE LOWER ELEVATIONS.

SOUTH TO SOUTHWEST WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 45 MPH MAY CAUSE
REDUCED VISIBILITY OVER MOUNTAIN PASSES SUCH AS MENDOCINO PASS
TONIGHT. TRAVELERS HEADING NORTH ON INTERSTATE 5 MAY ENCOUNTER
WINTER WEATHER SUNDAY MORNING AS THEY HEAD NORTH OF SIMS.

HAZARDOUS BACK COUNTRY TRAVELING CONDITIONS MAY EXIST SUNDAY.

IF YOU PLAN TO TRAVEL THIS HOLIDAY WEEKEND...BE PREPARED FOR UNSETTLED
WEATHER. IF TRAVELING TO THE MOUNTAINS...CARRY TIRE CHAINS AND
EMERGENCY SUPPLIES AND CHECK THE LATEST WEATHER AND ROAD REPORTS
BEFORE DEPARTURE.