Yuma temperatures expected to drop for holiday

For those looking to ring in the new year outdoors, be sure to bundle up.

Ken Clark, expert senior meteorologist from Accuweather.com, noted that due to a rainstorm moving down the coast of California today, the temperature highs are expected to drop down to 10 to 8 degrees colder than average for this time of year.

“It's going to be unseasonably cool probably Sunday and Monday,” Clark said. “Where normal high temperatures right now are in the upper 60's, on Sunday I expect it to be around 60 or 62 and Monday it might not even get to 60.”

While he noted that the system is not likely to produce much in the way of rainfall, there is a below 20 percent chance of showers on Sunday and Monday. Clark said that he also wouldn't expect any significant wind with the storm system, although it might be a little breezy on Monday.

“So if people have plans for New Year's Eve outside, expect it to be pretty cool,” he said. “By midnight, it will probably be in the upper 40's or so.”

Tuesday, he expects that the temperatures will still be colder than normal with highs in the low 60s and lows dipping into the upper 30-degree range. Clark added that he doesn't see the temperatures getting back to normal until later in the week.

He concluded that the storm that is coming down the coast is expected to turn east as it passes through on Monday and will probably transform into a rain and snow producer across the Southern plains moving to the Tennessee valley by Tuesday and to the Northeast on Wednesday.