Will New York City See a White Christmas?

The possibility of a white Christmas in New York is still up in the air. While colder weather is expected later this week, with potential for several inches of snow in some areas by Saturday, whether that snow will stick around until Christmas is the question.

What to Expect

Temperatures in Western and Central New York are expected to drop below freezing by Friday. While warmer weather is predicted for the following week, this forecast could change. The New York City area, however, is expected to be around 10 degrees warmer, with a higher chance of rain than snow.

<img src="https://www.democratandchronicle.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/12/09/USAT/76862625007-image-1.png?width=660&amp;height=510&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp" alt="Historical probability of a white Christmas across the U.S. and Canada">

AccuWeather predicts a turbulent weather pattern could bring another blast of snow and rain to parts of the Great Lakes and Ohio Valley before the holidays. According to the National Weather Service, a white Christmas is defined as at least one inch of snow on the ground on December 25th.

<img src="https://www.democratandchronicle.com/gcdn/authoring/authoring-images/2024/12/04/USAT/76764290007-white-christmas-19912020-normals-2480-px-nostatelabels.jpg?width=660&amp;height=490&amp;fit=crop&amp;format=pjpg&amp;auto=webp" alt="Historical probability of seeing a white Christmas">

Snowiest Cities in New York

Three western New York cities – Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo – consistently rank among the snowiest in the nation, primarily due to lake-effect snow. Syracuse, in particular, receives an average of 11 feet of snow per winter season.

A Close Call

Ultimately, whether New York City experiences a white Christmas remains uncertain. The forecast is calling for a close call, with the coming weeks holding the key to a snowy Christmas celebration.