It seems unlikely that a white Christmas will occur in North Texas this year. As the song says, if you want a white Christmas, you have to keep dreaming.
Although there have been several short cold snaps this season, the weather continues to be unseasonably warm. This month's long-range temperature forecast will keep Texas warmer than normal through the end of the month.
Not only are long-term forecasts calling for warmer-than-normal temperatures this month, historical forecasts are also against us. The definition of a white Christmas is more than an inch of snow on the ground. The chance of a white Christmas in most parts of Texas is between 1% and 10%.
There is a 1% chance of a white Christmas in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. The northern Panhandle will have the highest chance of snow on Christmas Day.
Although unlikely, there have been years when it snowed on Christmas Day.
The National Weather Service in Fort Worth has compiled a list of significant snow events on Christmas Day.
- year 2012 – Early morning thunderstorm turned to snow and sleet. The heaviest snow was concentrated in western Denton and Collin counties, with 4 to 6 inches of snow. Isolated spots in Parker, Grayson, Fannin, Hunt and Rains counties also received 4 to 6 inches of snow.
- 2009 – A snowstorm on Christmas Eve left snow on the ground.
- the year of 2000 – A record rainfall of nearly 2 inches fell in the evening, with temperatures ranging from 32°F to 34°F and some freezing rain. However, severe freezing rain occurred north and northeast of the metroplex.
- 1997 – In the evening there was a slight storm mixed with rain. The next morning, parts of the Metroplex were covered in up to 1/2 inch of snow.
- 1975 – 0.4 inch of snow fell on the first almost white Christmas in about 50 years.
- 1974 – Traces of sleet were reported.
- 1963 – 2 inches of snow fell on December 22nd, but no snow remained.
- 1926 – Two inches of snow fell in Fort Worth, but it melted by the afternoon. Dallas received 6.3 inches of snow.
- 1914 – There was evidence of several short snowstorms recorded.
- 1879 – There was an inch of sleet and snow on the ground. It is said that the snow and sleet were so compacted that the horses' hooves left no traces in the snow.
- 1841 – Three soldiers from a nearby fort were tracking a bear through six inches of snow near what is now White Rock Lake.
Christmas Day 2021 was the warmest ever. The high temperature reached 82 degrees.
