How Likely Is A White Christmas In 2020? Here Are The Odds For PA

Whether you love snow or hate it, there’s still something festive and almost magical about a thick blanket of white snow on Christmas. But in 2020, a year that’s exacted a heavy toll on many in Pennsylvania because of the coronavirus pandemic, what are our chances of actually experiencing this simple pleasure on Christmas Day?

According to the Farmers’ Almanac, which recently released its annual Christmas weekend forecast, our state is in for a fair and cold Christmas.

Nationwide, the greatest chance for snow on Christmas rests snugly in the northern Midwest states. While Pennsylvania can expect a fair and cold Christmas, the Southeast could see an unseasonably cold Yuletide with possible frosts down to the Gulf Coast.

Beyond Christmas, the Farmers' Almanac predicts a strong weather front approaching from west brings gusty winds and a wide variety of precipitation to close out the year.

An interactive map from NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, shows which areas, historically, have the best probability of a white Christmas.

Here in Pennsylvania, a white Christmas isn't completely unlikely but it's not all that common, either.

NOAA's "Historical Probability of a White Christmas" map shows the climatological probability of at least 1 inch of snow on the ground on Dec. 25 in the contiguous United States. Or, take a look at the interactive map to get a better idea of the historical probability of measurable snow in cities in Pennsylvania.

Depending on what part of the suburbs you're from, or if you're right in the city proper, the chances of a white Christmas in Philadelphia and its surrounding towns are between 10 and 18 percent, according to the NOAA.

Of course, nothing beats the actual weather forecast to predict whether it will be snowy at Christmastime. The map shows only the climatological probability of a white Christmas. By Dec. 18, we should have a good idea of the Christmas forecast.

The fascination with a white Christmas was likely popularized by the writings of Charles Dickens. The depiction of a snow-covered Christmas season in his 1843 classic “A Christmas Carol,” and a number of his other short stories, was reportedly influenced by memories of his childhood.

The song, “White Christmas,” written by Irving Berlin and sung by Bing Crosby, is among the best-selling singles of all time. The tune nostalgically speaks of a white Christmas and has since become embedded in American holiday traditions.

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