Christmas rain drenches the Southeast
Heavy rain will slow travel on highways and trails during the holiday as many Americans from Tennessee to Florida will be drenched in rain. December 25, 2023.
The hopes and dreams of a white Christmas will have to wait until at least next year for many Americans, as the mild pattern takes hold over much of the country — though there is a notable exception for those in the Rocky Mountains and northern Plains where many residents spend the Christmas holiday under… Snow and winter storm warnings.
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The official definition of a white Christmas from the National Weather Service is at least 1 inch snow On the ground measured at 7 a.m. on Christmas morning or snowfall that had accumulated to at least 0.1 inch on December 25.
Only 17.6% of the U.S. is covered in snow as of Christmas morning, the lowest amount on Christmas Day in at least 20 years, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
What is the snowiest month of the year?
“Look at the forecast for Christmas on Monday itself, and it looks very active on Christmas Day for the Central Plains all the way to the Southeast,” FOX Meteorologist Amy Freeze said. “We could still have residual effects as people try to get home after Christmas.”
A central US storm packed with heavy snow and flooding rain could spell trouble for Christmas travelers
A wet Christmas, not a white one for many
In Chicago, it will be wet — not white — as city temperatures will be in the 50s, with showers possible. New York City, on the other hand, is expected to see dry weather on Christmas Day, with temperatures in the mid-50s.
The Interstate 95 corridor, which has been snow-free for a while, will continue its snow-free streak. That area has seen two mild winters in a row, and it has been a long time since at least an inch of snow has fallen on the ground.
It has been 678 days since New York City saw at least an inch of snow fall on a single calendar day, the longest period in recorded history. Likewise, Philadelphia has gone 693 days without an inch of snow falling in a calendar day, while Baltimore has gone 694 days — nearly two years — without seeing an inch or more of snow falling in a single day.
St. Louis last saw measurable snow on Jan. 31, 2023, nearly a year ago. Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, broke its record streak of no snow on Friday.
Christmas travel weather tracker live: current radar, airport status, flight delays and more
Millions of Americans will feel above-average temperatures over Christmas and much of next week, as a large ridge of high pressure develops over the central United States, spreading December warmth across much of the lower 48 region.
Temperatures will rise between 20 and 30 degrees above average in major Midwestern cities.
Minneapolis had its warmest Christmas Eve the moment the clock struck midnight with a temperature of 46 degrees. They have since reached 50 and will end up breaking the record by several degrees by the end of the day with the forecast temperature rising to 54. On Christmas Day, Minneapolis reached 52 degrees, breaking the 1922 record for December 25 by one degree. .
The population of Green Bay, Wisconsin, could reach 50 Sunday through Tuesday, threatening more records. The NWS office in Green Bay reported that eight weather stations across the region recorded or tied record temperatures for Christmas Day by 10 a.m.
Christmas travel problem: The weather can cause problems for flights leading up to the holiday
FOX Weather has compiled the map below showing the historical probability of a white Christmas across the United States
The map is based on historical weather data averaged over 30 years from 1991 to 2020, the most recent climate averages provided by the National Centers for Environmental Information of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
What are the odds of a white Christmas?
Keep in mind that these statistics are just averages. The weather pattern that develops each December can increase the chances of a white Christmas in some areas while decreasing those odds in others.
