Christmas Forecast 2024: Will There Be Snow on Christmas Day?

Christmas! ‘Tis the season for kindling the fire of hospitality in the hall, the genial flame of charity in the heart. –Washington Irving, American writer (1783-1859)

White Christmas Weather Forecast 2024

Are you a lover of that classic snowy White Christmas? While we all know that nature can be unpredictable, the odds are that the snow will fall mainly in the Central region of the U.S.  According to The 2025 Old Farmer’s Almanac, most of the United States will be seeing a milder, gentler winter than average.

Will There Be A White Christmas Where You Live?

According to the 2025 Old Farmer’s Almanac Christmas Forecast:

• New England: There is a chance of a white Christmas in Northern Maine, but no where else in the region.
• Atlantic Corridor: There will not be a white Christmas.
• Appalachians: There will not be a white Christmas.
• Southeast: There will not be a white Christmas.
• Florida: There will not be a white Christmas.
• Lower Great Lakes: There will not be a white Christmas.
• Ohio Valley: There is a chance of a white Christmas.
• Deep South: There will not be a white Christmas.
• Upper Midwest: There will not be a white Christmas.
• Heartland: There will be a white Christmas.
• Texas–Oklahoma: There will not be a white Christmas.
• High Plains: The northern part of the region may experience a white Christmas. The southern piece, mainly south of I-70, will see a white Christmas.
• Intermountain: There is a chance of a white Christmas; there will be a white Christmas in the Rockies. The northern part of Arizona will not have a white Christmas.
• Desert Southwest: There will not be a white Christmas.
• Pacific Northwest: There will not be a white Christmas.
• Pacific Southwest: There will not be a white Christmas.
• Alaska: There will be a white Christmas.
• Hawaii: There will not be a white Christmas.

Will There Be a White Christmas in Canada?

Our neighbors to the north are in luck for sleigh rides and snowball fights this holiday season! 

The Atlantic side of Canada will see a chance of a white Christmas. This year, Southern Quebec and Southern Ontario will not have a white Christmas. The western Prairies, through the Yukon territory, will see a white Christmas, as will Southern British Columbia. The rest of the country, including the Pacific Coast has the potential to see a white Christmas.

Pick up a copy of the 2025 Almanac for detailed information about your region’s long-range forecasts. (This little yellow book is a great stocking stuffer, too!)

What Are the Odds of Having a White Christmas?

Not your year for snow? Take a look at the Weather History, and you’ll get a sense of where it’s typical to have a White Christmas. Based on NOAA historical weather data (based on 30-year data sets), here are the odds. Any surprises?

Northeast and Great Lakes

• Northern Maine, Minnesota, North Dakota, Michigan, and Wisconsin can practically guarantee a blanket of snow on Christmas Day since snow begins falling earlier in the month and these northern areas have freezing temperatures to avoid snow melt.  In Minneapolis, it’s an 80% chance. Over northern Michigan and especially the Upper Peninsula, as well as northern Minnesota, 3 out of every 4 years, on average, feature a white Christmas. Even greater odds exist over northern North Dakota.
• In the White Mountains of northern New Hampshire, it’s a 97% odds; northern Vermont has a 75 to 95% chance.
• In central and southern New England, there’s a 50-50% shot in a random year; Boston’s odds are only 20%.
• Around upstate New York and western New England, it’s just over a 50-50 shot. Cleveland’s odds are 1 in 3 and Chicago only 2 in 5 for Christmas Day.

Western U.S. 

• Moving west towards Montana and Idaho, the odds of a White Christmas are quite good but also very consistent; it may be cold, but some areas are also dry with the precipitation needed for snow. Missoula, Montana, has a very high 98% chance. Idaho City, near Boise, is also high, with a 94% chance. Salt Lake City is only 50-50 odds.

• Colorado also varies greatly depending on the proximity of the mountains. East of Denver is only 40%, and Boulder is 47%, yet southwest of Boulder, it’s 77%!  The same goes for southern Rockies; elevation can make a difference; even Flagstaff, Arizona, has a 44% chance of snow.

Low Chances in the Rest of the Country

Don’t expect high odds in the Plains, Mid-Atlantic, the South, Texas-Oklahoma, Missouri, or western and central Tennessee.  We’re talking very low chances (perhaps 20%). Washington, D.C., has only 6% odds. 

So if you want a White Christmas or, conversely, want to escape snow on Christmas Day, consider the historical odds and the Old Farmer’s Almanac Christmas Forecast! Our only surprise is how low the odds are for most of the country. 

See the 2024-2025 Winter Weather Outlook for this year’s predictions.

So, are you dreaming of a white Christmas? Let us know in the comments!