How weather affects shopping trends in the last week before Christmas
Paul Walsh, CEO of Meteomatics North America, discusses how recent temperature changes across the United States are impacting shopping trends in the final week before Christmas.
New York – The anticipation and longing for a magical Christmas morning, with snowflakes falling softly and covering the ground in a blanket of pure white, seems to quickly fade away.
As the days go by, the chances of having a white Christmas diminish. Long-range computer forecast models show no major snowstorms in the days leading up to Christmas.
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. on Christmas morning or snowfall that accumulates to at least 0.1 inch on December 25. For most Americans, the FOX Forecast Center will say they'll have to watch their favorite holiday movie to see snow this year.
Temperatures will likely be warmer than average through the end of December, so even if we do manage to create a larger storm, it will likely produce rain rather than snow.
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Cold air was widespread across the United States in December.
The climatic winter, which runs from December 1 to February 29, started out very mild. According to the FOX Forecast Center, there are no signs of any arctic air masses invading the country until at least January, leading to a significant lack of snowfall in many major cities across the country. Currently, only 14% of America is covered in snow.
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This is bad news for those who love snow, as any major storms that may occur will likely encounter milder temperatures, reducing the chances of heavy snowfall. That's not to say the snow machine won't be moving somewhere as we approach the end of the year, but the chances are leaning toward more rain than snow as we bid farewell to 2023.
Warmer than average temperatures expected this week will continue to melt any snow left on the ground.
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Some exceptions include California's Sierra Nevada and the San Juan Mountains in Colorado and New Mexico, where forecasts are generally favorable for more fresh snow — good news for any skiers planning to hit the slopes this holiday season.
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Major cities in the Northeast have yet to receive an inch of snow this year
This news may disappoint those who enjoy snowy winters in the Northeast: It's been nearly two years since this part of the country has seen an inch of snowfall in a single day in its major cities.
As of Monday, it had been 672 days since the last one-inch snow fell on a calendar day in New York City. Each snow-free day sets a new record, surpassing the previous record of 383 days, set in 1998.
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Although the Northeast has a reputation for harsh winters and heavy snowfall, the recent lack of snow has been a noticeable trend, with many residents and visitors alike longing for the white winter wonderland they have come to expect from this region.
