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What are the chances of a white Christmas in NYC?
FOX 5 NY's Audrey Puente has the answer.
NEW YORK CITY - Are you dreaming of a white Christmas in New York City?
WHITE CHRISTMAS: DEFINITION l LAST ONE l NYC CHANCES
Here's everything you need to know ahead of Santa's big night.
What is the definition of a white Christmas?
In the United States, the National Weather Service defines a "white Christmas" as an inch or more of snow observed on the ground on Christmas morning.
So a dusting of snow remaining from earlier snowfall doesn't count. Yet an inch or more still on the ground on Dec. 25 from a prior storm meets the white Christmas standard.
Other countries and traditions may have different definitions. For example, some cultures consider snowfall on Christmas Eve to qualify as a white Christmas.
When was the last white Christmas in NYC?
The last white Christmas in New York City was back in 2009 when 2 inches of snow was recorded.
In 2002, 5 inches of snow was recorded in Central Park. Other prior White Christmases were in 1995, when cold temperatures kept snow on the ground from an earlier storm – also in 1983 and 1966.
The record Christmas Day snowfall for Central Park was 7 inches in 1909. The record snow depth on Christmas Day in Central Park was 8 inches in 1912.
Could New York City see a white Christmas?
Bad news, the chances in the Big Apple are very low.
"I know a lot of folks would really like to see that, but you know, the odds are not in our favor, in any given year," FOX 5 NY's Audrey Puente said.
The historical probability of a white Christmas. (FOX Weather)
NOTE: The above map is based on historical weather data averaged over the 30-year period from 1991 to 2020, the most recent climatological averages provided by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information.
New York City has at least 1 inch of snow on the ground on Christmas morning about once every six years, on average.
"On average in New York City, or we calculate it out of Central Park, it's roughly about 10 to 15% chance of a white Christmas," Puente said.
People walk over the Gapstow Bridge as snow falls in Central Park on January 16, 2024 in New York City. The City received a rare accumulation of snow overnight. (Photo by Gary Hershorn/Getty Images)
According to the National Weather Service, Long Island has a 14% chance, while Westchester is at 41%. So, what will the weather be on Christmas Day?
"I looked ahead, and looks like it's going to be pretty mild and we could actually have rain for Christmas Day," Puente said.