Will There Be A White Christmas This Year?

snowmanPhoto by Myriam Zillies

Are you wondering the likelihood that you will have a white Christmas this year in Washington? Will you be building a snowman or going sled ridding? This question is one that is asked every holiday season. Take a look at the following graphics and table below were created from historical data from NOAA'S National Climatic Data Center (NCDC). It reflects the normal chance, or probability, of a white Christmas historically.

snowNOAA

What Do We Mean By "White Christmas"?

A white Christmas is defined by having 1 inch or more of snow on the ground on Christmas morning. So it actually could be snowing, but there just might not be accumulation that meets that requirement. I know what you're thinking: historically speaking, not very many areas often have a white Christmas. That's true. But in Washington, some parts of the state see a white Christmas as often as 91-100% of the time. So it really depends on where you are in the state.

Christmas Can Always Surprise Us

While the map shows the historical probability that at least 1 inch of snow will be on the ground on December 25th, the actual conditions can vary widely because the weather patterns present will determine the snow on the ground or snowfall on Christmas day. These probabilities can be very helpful as a guide to show where snow on the ground is more likely. For most the most current updates in Washington, keep checking back as these estimates are always subject to change. Have a very Merry--and hopefully white--Christmas.