10
Loading video...
By Joe Edwards
Reporter
0
Share
Newsweek is a Trust Project member
See more of our trusted coverage when you search.Prefer Newsweek on Googleto see more of our trusted coverage when you search.
Early white-Christmas outlooks broadly favor the northern United States and higher elevations in the West this year.
Weather conditions will matter for the millions of Americans likely to travel to see family over the holiday period. Last year, the American Automobile Association projected more than 122 million would travel at least 50 miles from home between December 20 and January 1.
To be considered a white Christmas, an area must have at least one inch of snow on the ground on Christmas morning, according to the National Weather Service.
Read More on Weather
...
Farmers’ Almanac
According to a map issued by the Farmers’ Almanac, northern and mountainous parts of the country could have the best odds for a white Christmas this year, while those in the South are unlikely to see one.
In the West, this outlook favors snow in the Rocky Mountains and at higher elevations in California. It depicts valleys and low-lying areas as less certain, however. Lowland Washington and Oregon are also considered uncertain, though it said conditions could differ in mountain communities.
Northern areas in the Midwest and Great Lakes were shown as having an edge, although it noted that thaws could potentially limit snow cover.
Inland and northern portions of the Northeast may fare better than coastal communities, where coverage could be limited by rain or mixed precipitation, the Farmers’ Almanac said.
Meanwhile, snow appears least likely for the South, according to the publication’s map, which describes it as unlikely.
...
Farmers’ Almanac editor Tim Konrad told Newsweek that while hurdles in the way of a white Christmas will likely vary by region, temperatures could be a common factor.
“Mild weather can mean rain instead of snow—or melt snow that’s already fallen before December 25. Even a snowy December doesn’t guarantee a white Christmas if a warm spell arrives at the wrong time,” Konrad said.
He added that the ideal setup for a white Christmas is snow close to the date followed by sustained cold to help keep it on the ground.
Its guide combines the publication’s seasonal outlook for winter with historical snow-cover patterns and should not be viewed as a confirmed forecast for December 25, but as an “early regional assessment,” the Almanac said.
Old Farmer’s Almanac
The Old Farmer’s Almanac, a similar but separate publication from the Farmers’ Almanac, issued a somewhat more confident forecast.
It predicted a white Christmas for the Northeast, Intermountain West, and Alaska this year.
...
There is also a chance for a white Christmas in the southern Appalachians, Lower Great Lakes, Ohio Valley, High Plains and Pacific Northwest, the Old Farmer’s Almanac said.
Those hoping for a white Christmas in the northern Appalachians, Southeast, Florida, Deep South, Upper Midwest, Heartland, Texas-Oklahoma, Desert Southwest, Pacific Southwest, and Hawaii will be disappointed, according to the publication, which said these regions won’t be seeing one this year.
NOAA
While not an official forecast for Christmas Day, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data offer a useful point of comparison with the two Almanacs.
A map previously published by the agency showed the historical odds for at least an inch of snow on the ground on December 25.
NOAA
The map shows the highest chances of a white Christmas across the northern U.S., particularly in the northern Rockies, Upper Midwest and interior Northeast. The likelihood generally falls farther south, though higher-elevation areas of the West stand out from their surroundings.
NOAA said its map was based on 1991-2020 U.S. climate normals—a dataset that included, but was not limited to, temperature, precipitation and snowfall daily and monthly normals.
The Weather Channel
Meanwhile, The Weather Channel said early November that, while it was too soon to say with certainty which areas will have a white Christmas, it expected a lower-than-usual chance from the Great Lakes into the Northeast. The southern Rockies could fare better, it added.
The outlet said its official white Christmas forecast will arrive mid-December.
View 0 Comments
Submit Correction
View Editorial & AI Guidelines