Widespread Rain Event

Mostly clear skies at 7:53 am MST this morning. There was a light dusting of snow on the Catalina foothills with greater amounts up at higher elevations.

The 500 mb analysis this morning (above) shows the closed low has moved eastward and is centered over southeast Wyoming - not southeast Colorado as the analysis indicates. Note the 100 kt wind speed over southwest Kansas.

Shown here are event totals for rainfall from the ALERT network. There was a second, light period of precipitation after dark last night, but bulk of precipitation was with the morning rain. Note the numerous reports of more than half an inch. Here at the house we had 0.34" in the morning, and then another 0.04" around midnight - total of 0.38" for the event. 

Plumes for temperature (above from 06 UTC GEFS) indicate two more cold mornings and then moderating temperatures. Low temperature here this morning was 32 F, but it will likely drop into the 20s F tomorrow and Thursday mornings. Current NWS forecast for the airport shown below.

Finally a look ahead. The GFS forecast below is valid at 18 UTC on Christmas Day and indicates a large surface high will dominate the central US, but with some rain and snow in the Northwest and the Northeast.