Will it be a white Christmas?

By Taylor on December 13, 2013 in Blog

If you're dreaming of a white Christmas in Iowa, there is a good chance you may be disappointed.

Climate scientists at the National Climatic Data Center created a map showing the historical probability of having greater than 1 inch of snow on the ground this December 25. A glance at the map shows that different parts of the state have a 25 – 60 percent chance of snow less than an inch, if there is any.

The map is based on national Climate Normals for 1981-2010. The Climate Normals are a combination of climatological measurements calculated from observations at approximately 9,800 states operated by the NOAA's National Weather Service.

The good news – the NCDC map is only a gauge of the probability flurries will fly based on the averages of last three decades. Local weather forecasts will be the best gauge for the likelihood of snowfall this Christmas.