Dreaming of a White Christmas? The National Weather Service Map Reveals Your Odds—But There’s a Catch
As the holiday season approaches, many Americans are eagerly checking the forecast, hoping for a snowy Christmas. While meteorologists caution that it’s too soon for a precise prediction, the National Weather Service (NWS) offers a fascinating tool: a white Christmas map that shows the historical probability of snow on the ground for December 25th. Based on climate data from 1981 through 2010, the map reveals how the odds vary depending on where you live. But before you start planning a snowy holiday, there’s one important detail to know: a brief snowfall during Christmas Eve or Christmas Day would not necessarily count if less than an inch remained on the ground when Christmas morning arrived. In other words, for it to be an official white Christmas, there must be at least one inch of snow on the ground at 7 a.m. on December 25th.nnThe historical data comes from climate records maintained by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), offering a long-term look at the conditions different parts of the country typically experience during the holiday. According to the map, the highest chances of a white Christmas are in the northern tier of the United States, from the Rocky Mountains to New England. In some areas, like northern Maine, the odds exceed 90%. Meanwhile, the southern states and the West Coast have virtually no chance of seeing snow on Christmas morning. AccuWeather also analyzed historical weather data between 1991 and 2020 to determine which areas have the best odds, and their findings align with the NWS map. For those dreaming of a white Christmas, the Northeast coast and from West Virginia to Maine in the eastern U.S. are prime locations.nnBut even if you’re in a typically snowy region, this year’s forecast may bring surprises. According to ABC News, heavy flakes could fall in Maine on Christmas Eve, when Bangor is forecast to get between 3 to 6 inches of snow. However, the cold will be biting: on Monday morning, wind chills will still likely go below zero in the Northeast from upstate New York to Maine, and the wind chill could make it feel like 25 below zero in northwest Maine. So while a white Christmas is possible for some, it may come with frigid temperatures that
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