As the winter season draws closer, meteorologists have started studying whether large portions of the United States will be able to enjoy snow on the ground on Christmas Day, December 25.
The Climate Prediction Center, which is part of the National Weather Service, offers a map titled ‘National White Christmas’ with probabilities of having snow on the ground on Christmas based on climatology for the 30-year period from 1981 to 2010.
According to this data, in order to have a white Christmas, one should have at least an inch of snow on the ground, not just snowflakes falling from the sky.
Areas with the highest probability of having snow on Christmas include the Upper Midwest, Upper Northeast, along with some areas in the Northwest and mountainous regions. On the other hand, southern areas of the United States have very little chance of having snow, with Florida having the lowest probability of all.
According to the historical map, the places most likely to have a white Christmas are:
- Upper Midwest: Such states as Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, and North Dakota.
- Upper Northeast: Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, and northern New York.
- Mountain West and Northwest: Such states as Colorado, Utah, Idaho, Montana, and Washington.
However, the southern states have a hard time achieving a white Christmas, while Florida is at the bottom of the historical map.
