Colder weather coming to Maritimes

The month of December in the Maritimes has been characterized by mild temperatures and some heavy precipitation. Halifax, Fredericton, and Charlottetown are all sitting with an average December high temperature 2 to 4 degrees above the 30-year climate normal.

There's plenty of green still around the Maritimes, and while some golf courses have been able to stay open late into the season, it's been tough to keep any snow on the ski hills.

We are set to swing back the other way this week, though, as a round of cold air breaks in from the west.

A high pressure system sitting over northern B.C. has flushed a mass of Arctic air down into the Prairies, as well as Ontario and Quebec. West and northwest winds over the next few days will bring this colder air across the Maritimes.

This should see us with seasonally cold nights and seasonal or below days the rest of the week.

The cold air will bring in some flurries or snow squalls off the open bodies of water around the Maritimes, including the Bay of Fundy, Northumberland Strait and Gulf of St. Lawrence.

This flurry activity will begin Monday night and be around on Tuesday and Wednesday before a small disturbance disrupts the westerly winds and brings a round of light snow region-wide late Thursday.

There's not a lot of help concerning snow production for the ski hills this week, but the colder temperatures should assist with the production of artificial snow.

Concerning New Year's Eve, no major systems are on the way in, so my only recommendation would be to plan on it being cold and dress accordingly.

More updates on this weather system can be found on myFacebook pageand on Twitter via @kalinCBC.