Where Americans Might Experience a White Christmas This Year

December 17, 2024 TruthUSA

Predictions indicate that the Rocky Mountains and Heartland regions are likely to experience the best chances of snowfall.

For those hoping for a white Christmas in 2024, various forecasts from the National Weather Service (NWS) and NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center suggest that the north-central, northeast, and northwest areas of the United States have the highest probabilities.

An eight-to-14-day forecast released on December 16 indicated that, although temperatures are expected to be above average across most of the country from December 24 to December 30, the likelihood of precipitation will increase due to elevated atmospheric river activity.

According to NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, there exists a 40 to 60 percent probability of “heavy precipitation and significant snowfall” affecting northern California and the Pacific Northwest on December 24, 26, and 27, including areas like the Sierra Nevada mountains and parts of western Oregon and Washington.

Inland areas are projected to have a 40 to 60 percent “risk of heavy snow in higher elevations” across the Northern Rockies and Northern Great Basin starting on Christmas Day and lasting through December 28. This forecast encompasses much of Idaho, western regions of Montana and Wyoming, and the eastern parts of Oregon.

This forecast also comes with a caution regarding potential flooding and strong winds which could disrupt holiday travel plans.

Above-normal precipitation is anticipated throughout the holiday week for the majority of the nation, although near-normal precipitation is expected for most of the East Coast and below-normal levels for parts of New England and the Southwest.

An NOAA map, published Dec. 16, 2024, showcases places in the United States with the best chance for a white Christmas, based on data from 1991 to 2020. (NOAA) — An NOAA map from December 16, 2024, displays regions in the United States with the highest probabilities of experiencing a white Christmas, using data collected from 1991 to 2020. NOAA

Historical Probability of a White Christmas

Idaho and the Rocky Mountains historically have a high likelihood of snow on Christmas Day.

On December 16, NOAA released an interactive map that illustrates the chances of various weather stations across the contiguous United States recording at least one inch of snow on Christmas, based on data from 1991 to 2020.

For instance, Yellowstone National Park in Wyoming boasts a 98 percent probability of snowfall on Christmas, while Telluride, Colorado, has a 94 percent chance, and Truckee, California, registers a 93 percent chance.

Additionally, northern regions of North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan show over a 90 percent likelihood of snow, along with much of New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine.

More than a 50 percent chance of a white Christmas is also noted for various parts of Arizona, New Mexico, and the Appalachian Mountains.

Conversely, historical data indicates that New York City and Philadelphia have less than a 20 percent chance, with Boston around 30 percent, and Washington, D.C. having less than a 10 percent probability. Chicago stands at a 35 percent chance.

Major cities along the Pacific Coast and in the southeast typically display nearly zero probability for a white Christmas.

However, NOAA warns that actual conditions can significantly deviate from historical averages in any particular year.

The Old Farmer’s Almanac has also issued its own forecast for a white Christmas, focusing specifically on the potential for snowfall on December 25.

It anticipates a white Christmas in the Heartland, southern sections of the High Plains region south of I-70, the Rocky Mountains, and Alaska.

There is also a possibility for a white Christmas in northern Maine, the Ohio Valley, northern High Plains, and the Intermountain region surrounding the Rockies, according to the Old Farmer’s Almanac.

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