Statistically, it could snow on Christmas
Dec 11, 2012, 3:04 PM | Updated: Dec 12, 2012, 8:42 am
If you're hoping for 10 inches or more, there are only a few regions in the U.S. where you can spend a White Christmas: the Cascade Mountains, Maine, and the Great Lakes states. (MyNorthwest.com reader submitted photo)
(MyNorthwest.com reader submitted photo)
Yes, chances are good that you won’t wake up to a blanket of snow on Christmas morning, but it’s hard not to get lost in the image as you gaze at the tree.
Rumors are running rampant that we’ll actually see reindeer prints in the snow. KING 5 Meteorologist Jeff Renner says there is a 13 to 14 percent chance, statistically, that it will happen.
However, “Looking at our longer range models at this point, I’d have to say it doesn’t look good for that,” Renner says. “I think we’re likely to see rain or rain showers Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and high temperatures probably in the low to mid 40’s.”
Bah Humbug.
The National Weather Service compiled some data on the statistical chances of snow (pdf) on Christmas morning. Renner is within the range, but higher than the 7 percent reported in 1995.
Of course, even if it does snow, history says it will be about an inch or less. If you’re hoping for 10 inches or more, there are only a few regions in the U.S. where you can spend a White Christmas: the Cascade Mountains, Maine, and the Great Lakes states.
Head to Stampede Pass where the likelihood is 100 percent to have a White Christmas.
According to the National Weather Service, it’s only snowed twice on Christmas Day in the past decade: 2008 (3 inches at Sea-Tac) and 2007 (less than an inch at Sea-Tac).
Meanwhile, snow has already started falling in Spokane around midnight and the accumulation Wednesday in the city could total about 2 inches.
Mark Turner at the National Weather Service says unlike a couple of earlier snows, this one is sticking.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
