(NEW YORK) — Ahead of Christmas, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has released an interactive map that shows the average percent chance of seeing snow in towns across the country.
NOAA defines the meaning of a “white Christmas” if there is at least 1 inch of snow on the ground by 7 a.m. Christmas morning.
According to data collected by the NOAA over the course of 30 years, most large U.S. cities, from Boston to Chicago to Seattle, don’t typically have much of a chance of seeing a white Christmas on average.
Minneapolis-Saint Paul is the only large metropolitan area that has a likely chance this year, at 74%.
In the Northeast, Washington, D.C., normally has a 5% chance and New York City typically has a 13% chance of seeing a white Christmas on average.
Those out West have a bit more luck.
Aspen, Colorado, has almost a 100% chance of seeing a white Christmas and Breckenridge, Colorado, is not far behind with a 98% chance on average.
With the mild start to the winter season this year, the national snowfall average is behind across most of the U.S.
As of now, not much snow is expected east of the Rockies, where it is forecast to get warmer for most heading towards Christmas this year.
New York City, Philadelphia, Washington, D.C., Chicago, Detroit and Denver are not expected to see a white Christmas this year.
However, most of the Rocky Mountains and all of the West Coast at higher elevations will see snow on the ground.
Similarly, in the Northeast, snow will be on the ground at higher elevations, especially from upstate New York to Vermont, New Hampshire and Maine.
The forecast this year calls for a white Christmas in most of North Dakota, the northern half of Minnesota, northern Wisconsin and most northern parts of Michigan, including the Upper Peninsula.
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