White Christmas Forecast: Which States Can Expect To See Snow On The Ground On Christmas

A white Christmas may be a reality for many people, especially in areas that have seen snow over the weekend. While there are no major storm systems in the forecast, there is a chance there will be snow on the ground in a few states on Dec. 25.

The Weather Channel reports a high chance of a white Christmas for many states including Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan and New England. Parts of Washington, Oregon, Utah, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana and upstate New York have a high chance of seeing snow on the ground as they wake up on Christmas. Some of these areas already have snow on the ground, and the cold weather, with some light snow in the forecast, will only increase the chance of a white Christmas.

Nick Wiltgen, a TWC meteorologist, defines a white Christmas as having at least one inch of snow on the ground by morning. Wiltgen says the Adirondacks, upstate New York and northern New England could expect a white Christmas as temperatures have remained cold throughout the weekend. The Midwest saw some snow over the weekend and another round of snow and cold temperatures lead to ideal conditions for Dec. 25.

A white Christmas is unlikely for the Southeast, while in the West only areas that have already had snow over the weekend can look forward to snow on the ground for Dec. 25 as no snow is in the forecast, reports Wiltgen. The Rockies and Lake Tahoe are among the areas that could expect a white Christmas, reports Accuweather. The same could be said for the East as New York and the surrounding areas experienced unseasonably warm weather over the weekend with no snow in the forecast. A snow shower is forecast for Tuesday evening in New York City, Philadelphia and Baltimore, but there will not be enough accumulation for a white Christmas, notes Accuweather.

The Weather Underground reports some lake-enhanced snow over the Great Lakes on Tuesday, while the Dakotas, Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan could see some light snow on Christmas Eve. Accuweather reports parts of Kansas and Missouri, which were hit with 5 to 10 inches of snow over the weekend, and parts of Texas and Oklahoma, which received 3 to 5 inches of snow, could also expect a white Christmas.