Nearly 10°F increase in average temperatures during the Christmas holidays since 1969

As much of the U.S. will experience a warm or very warm Christmas, we’d like to highlight that as we are having a big warm-up, there could also be big cooldowns, which many times include big snow events. As the weather patterns move around the world, it just turns out that we got stuck under a warm pattern this holiday season.

When we mention these types of weather patterns, we are obviously talking about short-term events. When these events become more persistent (stronger) or more frequent, this is when the long-term statistics gradually change.

In an analysis, the nonprofit organization, Climate Central, looked back at 246 locations across the nation since 1969. The studies showed that 97% of the stations saw an increase in temperatures during the 12 days of Christmas running from December 25 through January 5.

The numbers showed that 94% of the stations had at least 1°F increase, 75% of the locations had a warming of at least 3°F and about 37% of the stations warmed at least 5°F.

Northern cities have had the most warming during the winter season. But during the 12 days of Christmas, Reno, Nev., took the spot for the most warming with 9.5°F of warming since 1969. Burlington, Vt., was not too far behind with 9.1°F warming. Across the Midwest, Milwaukee, and Waterloo, Iowa, had average temperatures increase 8.6°Fand 8.4 °F, respectively.

As the temperatures increase, it causes more water vapor to escape into the atmosphere. When the atmosphere holds more moisture, it causes stronger precipitation, either in the liquid or solid form, depending on temperatures. Mountainous regions tend to receive enormous amounts of snow as our weather pattern changes are caused by climate change. Of course, heavier downpours and heavy snow events can also occur anywhere, of course, the snow events when the temperatures drop enough. In 2006, New York City had the biggest snowstorm, 27.5 inches feel between January 22 and 23. The second biggest snowfall happened less than a month later on February 11-12.

So as the snow will be limited this Christmas to some areas across the Rockies and the Cascades, don’t lose hope if you are wishing for snow and live in the north. You will likely get it, you just have to wait a little bit longer.