Most in US are experiencing Christmas without snow this year
Millions of Americans will feel above-average temperatures for Christmas and much of next week as a large ridge of high pressure sets up over the central U.S., spreading December warmth throughout most of the Lower 48.
Christmas rain to drench Southeast
Heavy rain slows travel on highways and runways during the holiday as many Americans from Tennessee through Florida will be soaked by rain. Dec. 25, 2023.
Hopes and dreams of a white Christmas are going to have to wait until at least next year for many Americans as a mild pattern grips much of the nation – although there is a noted exception for those in the Rockies and Northern Plains where many residents are spending the Christmas holiday under Blizzard and Winter Storm Warnings.
(FOX Weather)
The official definition of a white Christmas from the National Weather Service is at least 1 inch of snow on the ground measured at 7 a.m. Christmas morning or falling snow that accumulates to at least 0.1 inches on Dec. 25.
Only 17.6% of the U.S. is covered in snow as of Christmas morning, the least amount for Christmas Day in at least 20 years, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
WHICH IS THE SNOWIEST MONTH OF THE YEAR?
(FOX Weather)
"Look at the Christmas forecast on Monday itself, and it actually looks pretty active on Christmas Day for the central Plains down to the Southeast," FOX Weather Meteorologist Amy Freeze said. "We could still have residual impacts as people try to go home from Christmas."
CENTRAL U.S. STORM PACKING HEAVY SNOW, FLOODING RAIN COULD SPELL TROUBLE FOR CHRISTMAS TRAVELERS
Wet, not white Christmas for many
In Chicago, it'll be wet – not white – as temperatures in the city will be in the 50s, with rain showers possible. On the other hand, New York City is expected to have dry weather on Christmas Day, with temperatures in the mid 50s.
The Interstate 95 corridor, which has already been snow-free for a while, will continue its snow-less streak. That region has experienced two mild winters in a row, and it has been a while since at least an inch of snow has been on the ground.
(FOX Weather)
It has been 678 days since New York City experienced a snowfall of at least 1 inch in a single calendar day, the most extended period in recorded history. Similarly, Philadelphia has gone 693 days without an inch of snow in a calendar day, while Baltimore has gone 694 days – nearly two years – without experiencing any snowfall of an inch or more in a single day.
St. Louis last saw measurable snow on Jan. 31, 2023, almost a year ago. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, broke its record streak for no snow on Friday.
CHRISTMAS TRAVEL WEATHER LIVE TRACKER: CURRENT RADAR, AIRPORT STATUS, FLIGHT DELAYS AND MORE
(FOX Weather)
Millions of Americans will feel above-average temperatures for Christmas and much of next week as a large ridge of high pressure sets up over the central U.S., spreading December warmth throughout most of the Lower 48.
Temperatures will soar between 20 and 30 degrees above average for the major Midwest cities.
Minneapolis matched its warmest Christmas Eve the moment the clock struck midnight with a temperature of 46 degrees. They've since reached 50 and will end up shattering the record by several degrees by the end of the day with an expected high temperature of 54. On Christmas Day, Minneapolis hit 52 degrees, breaking the 1922 record for Dec. 25 by one degree.
Green Bay, Wisconsin, could reach 50 from Sunday through Tuesday, threatening more records. The NWS office in Green Bay reported eight weather stations across the region hit or tied record temperatures for Christmas Day by 10 a.m.
CHRISTMAS TRAVEL TROUBLE: WHERE WEATHER COULD CAUSE PROBLEMS FOR FLIGHTS LEADING UP TO THE HOLIDAY
(FOX Weather)
FOX Weather compiled the map below illustrating the historical probability of a white Christmas across the U.S.
The map is based on historical weather data averaged over the 30-year period from 1991 to 2020, the most recent climatological averages that are provided by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.
(FOX Weather)
WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS?
Keep in mind that these statistics are simply averages. The weather pattern that sets up each December can increase the chances of a white Christmas in some areas while decreasing those odds in other areas.