By Ashley Sanders

The News staff writer

Powerful storms damaged at least three dozen homes as heavy rain and strong wind swept across the Southeast on Christmas Day.

And this approaching holiday weekend could prove to be just as nasty for Southeast Texans. The National Weather Service-Lake Charles division is calling for a nasty, wet end to 2006.

Heavy showers and thunderstorms are expected to begin pelting the area as early as Thursday night. By Friday, isolated showers and warmer temperatures are expected to smother the region.

Expect to see the strongest storms Saturday morning as a cold front collides with a warm front already anticipated to be blanketing the area. According to forecasters, a squall line will most likely accompany the heavy thunderstorms Saturday.

Fortunately, by the time New Year’s Eve revelers are preparing to celebrate the arrival of 2007, the weather forecast should see some vast improvements.

A high pressure system should save the holiday, as the drier conditions squash any chances of additional precipitation.

Those drier conditions are expected to remain in place through at least Wednesday of next week.