Will Philadelphia see a white Christmas this year? Here's what to expect across the region.
Typically, we do not see a white Christmas in Philadelphia or much of the Delaware Valley. The exception is the northern edge of the Lehigh Valley in the Poconos, which obviously has a much better chance of snow any time during the winter season.
To fit the National Weather Service's definition of white Christmas, there needs to be at least 1 inch of snow on the ground. Even a quick little coating or a trace doesn't technically count.
Looking ahead:
Winter officially begins Saturday, with the first official full day of winter Sunday. This comes on the heels of some truly cold air filtering this weekend. Highs by Sunday may not get out of the 20s.
As we get closer to Christmas, we are looking at temperatures warming up quite a bit. Christmas Eve looks like we'll see mixed skies and highs thawing out into the upper 30s to near 40.
While Christmas itself is a week away, temperatures look to moderate even more — highs on Christmas Day may be well into the 40s across much of the area. And yes, we are watching a few weak systems move through, and the timing may change, but right now, even a weak front has a greater potential to deliver a few sprinkles and showers rather than flurries or snow.
We will continue to monitor next week, but note that the likelihood of a white Christmas in Philadelphia is extremely low, if not nearly zero.
So, when was the last time Philly had a white Christmas? In 2009, 8 inches of snow remained on the ground from a 22-inch snowfall on Dec. 19. See more Christmas weather history here.