What Parts of the U.S. Have the Highest Chance of a White Christmas

With Christmas quickly approaching, many Americans are wondering if they will enjoy a winter wonderland on the holiday this year. Where will the best chances of a white Christmas fall this year? Read on for what the long-range forecast models are predicting.

Christmas of 2024 Shaping Up to be Snowier Than Last Year's Holiday

The Christmas of 2023 saw the smallest amount of snow coverage since records have been kept beginning in 2003. While Christmas of 2024 will likely see more chances of snow for some of the country when compared to the mild holiday in 2023, most places will still end up without any flakes. The year 2023 brought nary a snowflake for all but a few locations in the Northeast, the northern Plains, and isolated corners of the western U.S. Most meteorological services consider it a white Christmas if there is more than 1 inch of snow covering the ground on the morning of December 25.

This December jumped out the gates quickly with measurable snow across many locations in the northern half of the country. However, forecasters are now warning that the odds of a white Christmas are low unless you already have snow on the ground. The exceptions will be a good chance for snow in the extreme northern reaches of the U.S. and in the higher elevations of the Mountain West.

As is typical every year, a white Christmas is a sure thing in the top elevations of the Rocky Mountains. A good part of the Great Lakes region will also likely see a picture-perfect Christmas thanks to recent rounds of lake-effect snow that have pummeled the region. For instance, Erie, Pennsylvania has recorded its snowiest start to the winter season on record. It is extremely likely that this city on the shores of Lake Erie will still have snow on the ground when Christmas rolls around next week.

An Alberta clipper storm is forecast to dip down from Canada this week and bring a few inches of snow to parts of the northern Plains, the Upper Midwest, and the eastern Great Lakes. Whether this snow will still be around next week depends on the temperatures in the days ahead and how much snow actually piles up. At this point, it looks promising the snow will stick around in the extreme northern areas of the region.

There has also been meaningful snowfall accumulation across portions of the interior Northeast and the Appalachians over the last week. However, there is still uncertainty surrounding whether the temperatures will remain chilly enough to keep the snow from melting before December 24. While the cold weather is expected to linger into the beginning of Christmas week, a slight warmup toward the middle of the week could melt the accumulation.

Moving down the Rockies into the lower elevations of Denver, you may have difficulties finding patches of snow. However, a quick trip up to the High Country and you will find plenty of the white stuff to create a magical holiday setting.