Dreaming of white Christmas this year? Keep dreaming
Are you dreaming of a white Christmas?
“Wish-casting” a weather forecast gets you only so far. If you want to know where to go for a winter wonderland, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has a handy interactive map that lists the probability of a white Christmas in individual towns.
For some, the odds are pretty good.
Crested Butte, Colorado, has a 99% historical chance of experiencing at least one inch of snow on Christmas Day.
For others — especially across the Southeast — the odds are not good. Places like Atlanta have zero chance of a white Christmas, according to weather history. New York City has a historical probability of only 11%.
In the words of Jim Carrey in “Dumb and Dumber,” “so you’re telling me there’s a chance.”
To get updated holiday travel and Christmas forecast graphics, click here.
Most places will see above average temperatures
Unless there’s snow on the ground, it’s unlikely most places will see a white Christmas. That’s good news if you’re trying to travel across the US, but bad news if you wanted to wake up to a winter wonderland.
Much of the US east of the Rockies is expected to see tranquil and mild weather, with temperatures staying 10 to 20 degrees above average. The Northeast, Midwest and Great Plains are seeing dry, clear weather this week with Chicago, St. Louis and New York City experiencing temperatures in the 50s and 60s.
Temperatures in the central part of the country are expected to climb into the 60s on Christmas Day, though Minneapolis may be an exception.
A small clipper system could bring some rain and snow flurries to the region, but since temperatures are running way above the average, it’s unlikely the city will see much snow.
That storm system moving through the Southeast will mostly have ended by Tuesday, although morning showers are likely along the east coast of North Carolina to Florida. On Christmas Day, areas in the region could see temperatures climb into the 70s.
The West might be the only place with fresh snow
The mountainous west may be the only region that sees fresh snow on Christmas Day.
A system currently off the coast of Southern California will push into the Southwest and Rockies, bringing rain to the lower elevations and snow to the mountains. A handful of winter weather advisories are posted across the mountains of California, Nevada, Utah, Arizona, New Mexico, and Colorado.
