Are we heading for a snowy Christmas? This is the question lingering in the minds of many. As the festival is just around the corner, meteorologists remain cautious about providing an exact weather forecast. However, historical data offers clues about which regions are most likely to enjoy a snowy festive season.
Which Areas Will See A White Christmas?
Taking the weather patterns of decades into account, experts have assessed the probability of snow cover for December 25. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) created a map highlighting the likelihood of at least 1 inch of snow on Christmas Day across the U.S.
The map reveals that southern states and much of the West Coast, shaded in grey, have less than a 10 percent chance of snow, meaning snow boots are unlikely to be part of Christmas attire in these regions. However, the northern states and mountainous areas show a much higher probability of waking up to a snowy holiday morning.
According to a report in Newsweek, locations like Alaska, Minnesota, Maine, Idaho, and upstate New York are strong candidates for snow. Other likely areas include the Allegheny Mountains in Pennsylvania and West Virginia, as well as the Rockies and Sierra Nevada ranges.
AccuWeather, analyzing data from 1991 to 2020, has also pinpointed snow-prone areas. Among the 25 largest U.S. cities, Denver and Chicago lead the list with roughly a 1-in-3 chance of a white Christmas, followed by Indianapolis and Boston at about 1-in-4. As expected, moving further north or into higher elevations increases the odds, as depicted on the national probability map.
Judah Cohen, a meteorologist at Atmospheric and Environmental Research, struck a hopeful tone for residents in the Northeast, saying, “I’m more optimistic about some cities in the northeastern U.S. having a white Christmas this year than I’ve been in quite some time.” However, accurate predictions for snow are only possible about a week in advance, the National Weather Service noted.
The report claims snowy Christmases are becoming rarer in some regions. A review of 40 years of federal weather data by the Associated Press found that from 1981 to 1990, nearly 47 per cent of the lower 48 states had snow on the ground on December 25, with an average depth of 3.5 inches. It noted that that figure had dropped to 38 per cent, with the average snow depth falling to 2.7 inches, by 2011 to 2020.
