The week ahead features mostly cloudy and damp conditions with light, variable winds. Sunday starts with morning showers tapering off by afternoon, with highs near 50°F. Rain continues intermittently through Sunday night and into Monday, with skies remaining overcast and highs around 55°F. From Tuesday to Wednesday, expect mostly cloudy skies with occasional light showers, with highs in the mid to upper 50s. Thursday brings partial clearing before some overnight showers, followed by a mix of sun and clouds on Friday. The week wraps up with increasing rain chances Saturday into Saturday night, with highs in the mid-50s and lows in the upper 40s. https://www.kcra.com/weather

Christmas traditions worldwide feature festive foods that embody the season. Common dishes include roast turkey in Western countries, glazed ham in the U.S., and British Christmas pudding. Italy celebrates with panettone, while Mexico enjoys tamales. France offers Bûche de Noël, and Germany has Stollen. Eggnog is a popular holiday drink. These foods bring families together, each steeped in its own tradition. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christmas_dishes

This week’s sky highlights include the rising of Sirius around 8–9 p.m., preceded by Mirzam, and Jupiter’s prominent presence in the east-northeast. The Geminid meteor shower peaks late on December 13, offering up to one or two meteors per minute under dark skies, with long Earth-grazers early and shorter, more frequent meteors later. Capella, the Pleiades, and the Hyades dominate the evening sky, while NGC 1647 offers a binocular challenge. Jupiter’s Great Red Spot and moon events are visible, and Saturn’s nearly edge-on rings are notable. The week ends with the winter solstice on December 21, marking the longest nights of the year. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/observing-news/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-december-12-21/

This week’s sky offers a brilliant display for stargazers. Interstellar Comet C/3I ATLAS remains magnitude 11 and visible before dawn, though moonlight hampers viewing. The waning Moon moves past Gemini, Jupiter, and Pollux in shifting patterns, while the earliest sunset occurs around December 7 at 40°N. The Summer Triangle sinks low, Andromeda Galaxy reaches zenith, and Pegasus tilts overhead. The Geminid meteor shower peaks on December 13, promising one or two meteors per minute under dark skies. Jupiter dominates the eastern evening sky, Saturn’s rings appear edge-on, and Mercury shines brightly at dawn. Uranus and Neptune remain telescopic targets for careful observers. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/observing-news/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-december-5-14/

Fruitcake has roots in ancient Rome and, with the addition of spices, evolved into a popular dessert, especially in the Middle Ages. European styles resemble fruited breads, while American versions are denser and often topped with marzipan. The fruitcake became popular in the U.S. thanks to colonists and mail-order services, leading to the rise of famous companies like Claxton’s. Despite a drop in favor—75% of people disliked it in a 1989 survey—over two million fruitcakes are still sold each year, maintaining its place in holiday traditions. https://www.pbs.org/newshour/arts/the-misunderstood-fruitcake-has-a-magnificent-shelf-life-and-history

The week’s weather begins with mostly cloudy conditions on Sunday, gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a high around 61°F and light, variable winds. Nights remain cool, in the low to mid 40s, under partly cloudy to clear skies. Monday and Tuesday follow a similar pattern, with highs near 60–61°F and lows around 44–45°F. Midweek brings considerable cloud cover, slightly cooler highs near 56–59°F, and lows in the low 40s. By Friday, skies are mostly cloudy, and Saturday brings a 30–40% chance of showers, with highs in the mid-50s and lows near 41°F. https://www.kcra.com/weather

Many Americans see Christmas as incomplete without a tree. Spending on real trees is expected to reach nearly $2 billion in 2024, with 23.6 million trees sold at an average price of $79.31. About 43% of households plan to buy a tree, while the trend of cutting their trees is declining. Most trees come from Michigan and North Carolina, and the average age of a tree buyer was 42 in 2023. https://www.finder.com/banking/cost-of-a-christmas-tree

The upcoming week will feature mostly sunny and mild weather with light winds. Daytime highs range from 57°F to 60°F, while nighttime lows hover around 39°F to 43°F. Sunday through Wednesday, skies are largely clear to mostly sunny, with occasional passing clouds and calm to light north or variable winds. Thursday and Friday bring intervals of sun and clouds, maintaining similar temperatures and gentle winds. Saturday sees a slight shift, with a 30% chance of showers in the morning and again late at night, but the afternoon remains partly cloudy and dry. Overall, a calm and pleasant week ahead. https://www.kcra.com/weather

This week, November 28–December 7, skywatchers can observe interstellar Comet 3I/ATLAS high in the southeast before dawn, now around 11th magnitude and slowly fading, best seen with 6–8 inch telescopes. The waxing gibbous Moon pairs with Saturn on November 28–29, occults some Pleiades on December 3, and becomes a supermoon on December 4, later joining Jupiter, Castor, and Pollux through December 7. Mercury brightens in the east-southeast dawn, Venus lingers low, and Jupiter and Saturn dominate evening skies, with Saturn’s nearly edge-on rings a rare highlight. Uranus and Neptune remain telescopic targets after 8 p.m. https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-news/observing-news/this-weeks-sky-at-a-glance-november-28-december-7/

The upcoming week features mild fall weather with alternating sunshine and clouds. Sunday starts mostly sunny with a high of 63°F and light northwest winds, followed by a clear, cool night near 42°F. Monday through Wednesday brings intervals of sun and clouds, highs around 60–64°F, and calm to light northwest winds. Nights remain mostly clear with lows in the mid-40s. Thursday is a mix of sun and clouds, while Friday turns mostly cloudy with a slight chance of evening showers. Temperatures dip to the upper 50s by Friday, then rebound to the low 60s on Saturday under partly cloudy skies. https://www.kcra.com/weather