White Christmas? Keep Dreaming, Meteorologist Says

ST. LOUIS, MO — Some less-than-professional forecasts have called for as much as 2 feet of snow for the St. Louis area Christmas Day. While meteorologists say that's unlikely, they are much more divided on whether the region could see a few inches, a few flurries, or nothing at all.

According to AccuWeather, a national media company that specializes in weather forecasting, the Midwest, Great Lakes, Rockies, and northern New England have the greatest chance of seeing a white Christmas, while St. Louis sits right at the edge between "possible" and "not likely."

A wave of cold air from the north means temperatures will drop just ahead of Christmas, setting up the first part of the equation necessary for a white Christmas. "While there is increasing certainty that temperatures will plummet some 10-20 degrees below normal by Christmas Day, pinning down the placement/timing of light, potentially accumulating snow is tougher to come by at this juncture," said NSW meteorologist Jayson Gosselin.

A dip in the Jet Stream and the resulting trough of low pressure means that cold northern air and moist air from the Gulf will meet, potentially resulting in significant storms with lots of snowfall. But, just where they will meet is the question, and it could potentially mean the difference between a wintry mix, a few flurries, or that 2 feet of snow some people have been talking about on social media.

Another NSW meteorologist, Charles Kelly, believes St. Louis has less than a 10 percent chance of seeing its first white Christmas since 2010, according to the Belleville News-Democrat. “The models are still all over the place,” he told the paper. “I don’t think, honestly, we’ll get anything at this point.”

But others are holding out hope. St. Louis sees a white Christmas, on average, every five years, so at least in that respect, we're overdue. What do you think our chances are? Are you dreaming of a white Christmas? Or are you playing the Grinch, hoping the snow steers clear?

A Facebook post last Thursday got many people excited over the prospect of 2 feet of snow.

Photo by Charlene Arsenault/Patch