Most in US will experience Christmas without snow this year
Hopes and dreams of a white Christmas are fading fast.
The FOX Forecast Center said computer forecast models show no major snowstorms in the final days before Christmas. As of Tuesday, only 16.9% of the U.S. is covered in snow.
WHICH IS THE SNOWIEST MONTH OF THE YEAR?
"Look at the Christmas forecast on Monday itself, and it actually looks pretty active on Christmas Day for the Central Plains down to the Southeast," FOX Weather Meteorologist Amy Freeze said. "We could still have residual impacts as people try to go home from Christmas."
A look at the Christmas Day forecast. (FOX Weather)
In Chicago, it'll be wet, not white, as temperatures in the city will be in the 50s, with showers possible. On the other hand, New York City is expected to have dry weather on Christmas Day, with temperatures in the low 50s.
A look at the precipitation outlook through Dec. 28, 2023. (FOX Weather)
The Interstate 95 corridor, which has already been snow-free for a while, will continue its snowless streak. That region has experienced two mild winters in a row, and it has been a while since at least an inch of snow has been on the ground.
Here's a look at the most recent white Christmas in the Northeast. (FOX Weather)
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. Christmas morning or falling snow that accumulates to at least 0.1 inches on Dec. 25. For most Americans, they'll have to watch their favorite holiday movie to see snow this year, according to the FOX Forecast Center.
Warmer-than-average temperatures are favored through the end of December, so even if a more significant storm develops, it'll most likely produce rain rather than snow.
A look at the temperature outlook through Dec. 28, 2023. (FOX Weather)
FOX Weather compiled the map below illustrating the historical probability of a white Christmas across the U.S.
The map is based on historical weather data averaged over the 30-year period from 1991 to 2020, the most recent climatological averages that are provided by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.
WHAT ARE THE ODDS OF A WHITE CHRISTMAS?
The historical probability of a white Christmas. (FOX Weather)
Keep in mind that these statistics are simply averages. The weather pattern that sets up each December can increase the chances of a white Christmas in some areas while decreasing those odds in other areas.
Read more of this story from FOX Weather.