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Christmas Weather Thread


WxUSAF

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Past years:

We went to the Buffalo area for Christmas nearly every year when I was a kid so about 70% of the time we had a White Christmas. Best was when it started snowing Christmas eve during church and by Christmas morning we had about 8". Worst year was the one when we stayed home (maybe 88, 89 or 90?) and it was about 55-60F and sunny. Since we've moved back, we've had 2 pretty good Christmases. 2009 with all the snow on the ground from the 12/19 storm, so 40F and some rain was quite tolerable. Last year with a windy, cold day with flurries in the air (damn you Boxing Day storm...grumble...) was pretty good too.

This year:

I'll take breezy and chilly since it looks like it won't be white.

Perfect wx:

Snow on Christmas eve and overnight and then a cold, sunny white Christmas day.

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I have family driving to my house on Christmas morning so I would like snow on the ground but cleaned up in time for travel on the day. I remember a storm on Christmas day several years ago (don't remember the exact year) that stopped the family from coming over and the kids were disappointed.

At least seasonably cold would be nice too. Snowman.gif

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DCA, IAD and BWI snow for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day

dec24th_snow-history.jpg

Years in which snow fell on the 24th of Dec. at local observation stations. In addition, a trace was recorded at the following locations on the following years: DCA - 1897, 1919, 1929, 1938, 1959, 1969, 1980, 1993, 1998; BWI - 1911, 1919, 1924, 1930, 1969, 1980, 1983, 1993, 1998; IAD - 1969, 1998, 1992.

dec25th_snow-history.jpg

Years in which snow fell on the 25th of Dec. at local observation stations. In addition, a trace was recorded at the following locations on the following years: DCA - 1890, 1894, 1906, 1914, 1917, 1923, 1938, 1945, 1947, 1948, 1957, 1959, 1967, 1975, 1976, 1981, 1985, 1989; BWI - 1906, 1915, 1917, 1923, 1924, 1925, 1934, 1947, 1948, 1957, 1959, 1965, 1966, 1985, 1989, 1992, 1995; IAD - 1968, 1975, 1985, 1981, 1965.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/capitalweathergang/2010/12/christmas_snow_statistics_for.html

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Best Christmases were:

2002 (accumulating snow on the 24th and 25th)

2009 (it rained, but there was a ton of snow still on the ground)

2010 (light dusting of snow in the morning)

Btw Ian's list is missing the Trace of snow at BWI last year...

I made it before Christmas of last yr. Didn't think about that when reposting it.

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12/24-25/02 was so-so in Dupont circle......i recorded 2", but it didn't really stick to the streets...and most of it fell after dark on the 24th and then got washed away overnight....it changed back on Christmas day but was pretty light and didn't do too much...maybe another 1/2".....people were psyched because it was Christmas, but I am Jewish and didn't really care and it didn't feel very white in the city...this was one of those that was more wintry in the burbs...in the city it was more of a slushy, gooey, patchy, dreary landscape....especially where i lived which was a concrete jungle

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Ideal weather for Christmas Eve, Day, and Boxing Day:

Light snow starts falling Christmas Eve late in the afternoon leaving 2-3" overnight. Picks up through the day on Christmas with highs around 20*. Departs Christmas night after dropping 10-12*.

Skies clear and temps drop to near 0. Boxing Day dawns crisp and clear with temps rising to 15* under bright sunshine. Temps below zero that night.

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Perfect scene. Christmas eve. Snow on the ground, piles around, cold, clear, frosty night. Clouds up overnight, morning dawns dark and gray. About 7:30, or when there is just enough light, snow starts to fall. Temp is about 24. Snow begins to fall heavily by about 9 am. Snows steadily through the day, winds up about 2 am the next morning, with a burst of heavy snow about 7 PM to 11PM. Total on the ground, about 14 inches. Stays cold through NY's day, massive snow storm on the 2nd.

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Interestingly, Richmond received two white Christmases in a row. In 2009, the 7am snow depth after the big snowstorm was still 3 inches. And in 2010, 1.8" fell that day, albeit during the afternoon, but still qualifies for a white Christmas.

So depending on which definition you use, 2009 and 2010 hits the record books. Prior to the last two years, the last measurable snowfall on Christmas Day was in 1993 when 0.1" fell. There was a trace of snow still on the ground in 1989.

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Specifically for Richmond, for 113 years of data, there is a 7% chance of at least 1 inch on the ground at 12z, which is what I believe the official NOAA definition is. Meanwhile, there is a 13% chance of at least a trace of snow on the ground.

yep. DCA is about 9% all time for 1"

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