After lows in the 20s Friday morning, highs will approach 40 degrees by Friday afternoon. This gradual warm-up will accelerate into a big-time thaw to end December. The warm-up will be combined with a parade of storms that arrives Saturday morning.

There is an outside chance for freezing rain early Saturday morning, otherwise it will be plain rain through about 2 p.m. A shower can't be ruled out between Saturday evening and Sunday evening, but it will be mostly dry with some mist and drizzle possible at night. Temperatures take off through this dry stretch with highs potentially into the 60s Sunday afternoon. Current high forecast is 61 degrees.

Depending on the timing of the parade of storms, thunderstorms are possible either Sunday night or Monday morning. Temperatures in the mid-50s are oftentimes warm enough for a chance of thunderstorms. The ball drop could also feature some showers with a third system moving in Tuesday night through Wednesday morning. Behind that storm, expect frigid weather to return with teens and 20s at night possible by next weekend.