White Christmas not likely due to warmer than average temperatures

The likelihood of a white Christmas this year continues to look very low with warmer than average temperatures expected leading up to the holiday.

It’s been a fairly mild December so far and one that includes a lack of snow.

The Rochester International Airport (RST) has recorded just 0.5″ of snow through December 11. So far, that would make the month as the third least snowiest on record. Typically, December is the snowiest month of the season as the month on average gets a little over a foot of snow.

The Climate Prediction Center has much warmer than average temperatures continuing right up until Christmas with their latest outlook which would make it difficult to get any snow.

The probability of having at least one inch of snow on the ground at Christmas is between 50-70% for southeast Minnesota and northern Iowa based on data over the last 30 years.