New York’s Chances for a White Christmas Just Dramatically Improved

Great news for those who are hoping for a magical Christmas morning with snow on the ground.

New York has been dealing with nonstop lake effect snow squalls, with some areas blanketed with literal feet of snow.

Read More: Lake Effect Snow Warning for Up to 3 Feet in New York

While some may like to view these back-to-back storms as a clue to what the holidays will look like, there are also many who are hoping Mother Nature tires herself out before Santa jumps on his big red sleigh.

With Christmas officially less than 2 weeks away, the long range forecasts are now starting to tell us what to possibly expect.

Ray Stagich, Senior Radio Meteorologist for The Weather Channel, shared what the current models are saying about Christmas Day.

"I feel a good chance we have at least some snow on the ground for most of us," he told WIBX, adding that North Country has a "real good chance [snow] will stick around" after being hammered by lake effect snow this week.

Stagich continued, "After some briefly milder weather, the guidance is suggesting that we see some small 'clipper type' systems move through, each with a chance of snow showers mid-week to next week and beyond into the holiday."

He also mentioned temperatures will start to favor snowmaking weather, with chilly air seeping into the area late next week.

The Weather Channel's 10 day forecast for the Utica area  is calling for sub-freezing temperatures to hit the area the Friday night before Christmas, December 20.

Overnight lows will hit the low 20s as soon as Thursday, the 19th, which will help freeze the ground and prevent snow from melting so quickly.

Currently, The Weather Channel is calling for the Utica area to enjoy snow showers and about an inch of accumulation on Christmas Eve.

Another inch could fall while Santa is out delivering presents.

While Christmas Day appears to be overcast, snow flurries are again expected to impact the region and bring about another inch of snow.

Meanwhile, Accuweather is also aligning with The Weather Channel in their long-range forecast.

For the Utica area, they're calling for periods of snow on Christmas Eve and partially cloudy skies on Christmas Day. The only difference in the forecast are the temperatures, with Accuweather calling for both days to be around 40 degrees.

Of course, North Country has a better chance at a White Christmas, with both Accuweather and The Weather Channel calling for a few inches of powder around the holidays.

Other prognosticators are offering an even more optimistic look into the holidays. The Will I Get a White Christmas website is calling for a 100% chance for snow on Christmas.

Meanwhile, the White Christmas Calculator is a little bit more conservatives for the Utica area since it uses data from the NOAA.

White Christmas Calculator

The calculator is calling for a 56.3% probability of 1 inch of snow falling on Christmas Day.

That being said, it's looking even more likely a White Christmas is in store for New York!

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