5 Things You Need To Know Today, Thursday, Dec. 27

Here are 5 pieces of information designed to start your Thursday soaring with the eagles and to help make you the smartest person in the coffee shop.

1. Your 3-Day Local Weather Forecast:

• According to the NWS, today we will see rain before 4pm, then rain and snow. High near 40. Windy, with a east wind 21 to 26 mph decreasing to 13 to 18 mph in the afternoon. Chance of precipitation is 100%. Little or no snow accumulation expected.
• Thursday Night Rain and snow likely before 8pm, then a chance of snow. Cloudy, then gradually becoming partly cloudy, with a low around 26. Northwest wind around 11 mph, with gusts as high as 32 mph. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Friday Sunny, with a high near 37. Northwest wind 10 to 14 mph, with gusts as high as 34 mph.
• Friday Night Partly cloudy, with a low around 22. West wind 3 to 7 mph.
• Saturday A chance of snow, mainly after 4pm. Cloudy, with a high near 32. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Saturday Night A chance of snow. Cloudy, with a low around 18. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

2. Reader Comment of the Day: "I'm glad my child didn't come home and ask me what happened in CT. A 5 year old is supposed to believe in Santa Claus, not monsters who enter schools and slaughter them. I'll decide what I expose my children to and when. Children are suppose to go to school to learn and parents to feel secure in knowing they are safe. The latter being something all of us have to rethink, and that's a shame, but I'm also not teaching my 5 year old how to shoot a firearm, and I am a proud member of the NRA, my children are members of the Sprout online kids club." Reader Michael Adams, commenting on the blog post, "Disgusted that Tewksbury Public Schools did not participate in National Moment of Silence!"

3. It's Happening Today: Are you a fan of "Angry Birds?" Well check out Angry Birds Live at the Tewksbury Public Library on Thursday at 2 p.m. It's for ages 6-12. We'll divide into teams and build structures for the pigs. Then we will throw the "birds" to try and knock them down. It's going to be a lot of fun! LIMITED TO 20. Registration is required.  Call the Children's desk or go to our online calendar to register.

4. It's Also Happening Today: The Tewksbury High boys and girls indoor track teams will be in Boston all day for the Reggie Lewis Center Holiday Qualifier. Meanwhile, the wrestling team is competing at the Lowell Holiday Tournament. The girls basketball team is competing in the Melrose Holiday Tournament and the Boys Basketball team is competing in the Wilmington Knights of Columbus Tournament. And, of course, the boys' hockey team continues play in the Maine Holiday Tournament. Good luck to the Redmen!!

5. By The Numbers: 363. That's the number of shopping days left until Christmas 2013. Hey, you don't wan to wait until the last minute.