(USA TODAY) -- If you snooze you'll lose Wednesday morning, when a little known but active meteor shower will start 2012 for people stalwart enough to brave the chilly hours before dawn.

The Quadrantids, named for a now-extinct constellation, will be visible for two hours early Wednesday, from about 3 to 5 a.m. local times.

The shower is likely to produce up to 100 falling stars an hour, making for a good show. People across North America who stay up late enough, and who have a clear sky, should get a nice view, says Conrad Jung, an astronomer at Chabot Space and Science Center in Oakland.

Other than typical January temperatures, the weather should cooperate for watchers: "Viewing should be great over most of the country," reports Weather Channel meteorologist Mark Ressler. The only potentially cloudy spots should be in the Pacific Northwest, the Great Lakes and parts of the Northeast, he says.

Cold air will be moving in this afternoon with winds picking up. A tight gradient between an area of low pressure of the east coast and High pressure building in form the west. Winds today will be between 15 and 25mph. Gust as high as 35mph. A Wind Advisory will be in effect until 7pm.
Flurries are possible in the north GA mountains this afternoon. Little to no accumulation expected.
The coldest air of the season will be felt tonight as low drop of into the low 20s. Another cold day for Tuesday, with sunshine. Highs will reach near 40.
We will gradually warm up as we head toward the middle of the week. The skies will remain dry for much of the week. Next chance for percip will come back to us by the weekend. Temps will be warm enough that we will only see showers.