With the families coming together during the holidays, the weather trends in the United States have given a polarized picture of the Christmas Day. Currently, as a colossal air river is pounding the West Coast with both rain and mountain snow, a ridge of warmth running across the middle and the south of the U.S. has transformed White Christmas dreams into muddy reality to millions of people. To people in the high Rockies or the extreme far north of New England, however, the holiday scene has been permanently frozen in a winter wonderland, courtesy of a series of storms back at the beginning of December which deposited a permanent snowpack.
Christmas Atmospheric River: Western Mountains
This holiday will be a victim of the most dramatic weather event; the destructive atmospheric river, which is currently hitting California, Oregon, and Washington. Although such large cities as Los Angeles and Seattle have to cope with torrential rain and flood warnings, the mountains are experiencing huge amounts of snowfall. A serious snow storm is underway in the Sierra Nevada mountains, and the depth of the snow has fallen as low as 6000 feet on the 25th of Christmas. A White Christmas is not only a dream to people in the mountain resorts and in the high-altitude communities in these states, but it is also a travel risk, as several feet of fresh powder renders the mountain passes impassable.
Northern Tier Survivors: Midwest and Great Lakes
The White Christmas in the upper midwest was spared by a mixture of the north geography and compact snow that had been deposited at the beginning of December. States such as North Dakota, Minnesota and Wisconsin were able to retain at least an inch of snow even with a recent warm-up. Individually, the North halves of these states, and the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, have already hit the official NWS qualifications of a White Christmas. When cities to its south such as Chicago and Indianapolis are experiencing bare pavements and almost freezing temperatures, the “Great Lakes snowbelt” is still covered with white.
The Northeast Divide: New England vs. The Coast
New England is now divided into wintry north and rainy south. The main losers and winners of the East are the Adirondacks in New York, northern Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine, who wake up to a new snowy landscape of decent quality. On the very eve of the holiday, a system crossed the region and deposited 3 to 6 inches of fresh snow on these regions, guaranteeing a holiday atmosphere. Nevertheless, big cities such as New York City, Philadelphia, and Boston are having a Brown Christmas and have very mild temperatures and even rain sweeping away traces of any earlier December snow.
Large Uplifted Certainty: The Appalachians and the Rockies
To the Intermountain West, it is the elevation that counts this year. Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah are solidly locked in with high altitude areas having a white Christmas. The advantage to these states was that there had been a cold spell earlier on in the month which brought 20-30cm of snow to the Denver area and the nearby peaks. Likewise the top of the Appalachian Mountains in West Virginia have been able to retain a layer of snow on the ground and are therefore a unique island of whiteness in a relatively warm mid-Atlantic area.
Historical Perspective: A Disillusioning Year to Major Hubs
It is reported that nationwide, there is only approximately 20-22% of the Lower 48 states with snow on the ground this Christmas which is less than the historical average. A pattern known as a La Niña has resulted in warmer and wetter conditions in most of the South and East causing record heat in some of the central states. Whereas cities such as Minneapolis (74% historical probability) have managed to provide an icy holiday, the other time-honored recipes such as Cleveland (39%) and Detroit (35%) failed to do it this year. This Snow Drought within the population focuses on the growing uncertainty of early-winter weather systems in the continent.
The availability of White Christmas 2025
| Region | Status | Primary Cause |
| Sierra Nevada | Heavy Snow | Atmospheric River |
| Upper Midwest | Snow on Ground | Early Dec. Snowpack |
| Northeast Coast | Rain/Bare | Atlantic Ridge Warmth |
| Northern Rockies | Frozen/Snowy | High Elevation |
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What does it mean by an official definition of the word White Christmas?
The National Weather Service defines it as a minimum of one inch of snowfall on the ground in the early morning on December 25 th either the same day or from an earlier storm.
2. How come California is receiving so much snow and East is warm?
There is a large volume of jet stream, which is bending down along the West Coast, bringing with it a tropical moisture plume, and a powerful ridge of high pressure over the Gulf of Mexico is driving warm air up the East Coast.
3. Will it have the snow on the East after Christmas?
Yes. It has been predicted to have an Arctic air burst starting on the following December 29 th and this will cause the temperatures to plummet and make the Midwest and Northeast potentially experience a lot of Snow just in time to ring in the New Year.
Disclaimer
The information is aimed at informative purposes. You may refer to the official sources (NOAA.gov or NWS.gov) since it is our goal to give out accurate information to all consumers on the basis of real-time weather observation of 2025.
