Are you dreaming of a White Christmas? It is a dream that many Alabamians share but have never seen. The precise definition of a White Christmas is to have one inch of snow on the ground on Christmas morning.
Here in Birmingham, in the nearly one hundred years that weather records have been kept, there has never been a White Christmas in the classic definition. We came close in 1985, when a few snow flurries left a dusting on the ground. It was not enough to measure, however. A trace of snow has fallen on December 24th or 25th eight other times in Birmingham, the last time in 1995. On December 22, 1929, 5.5 inches of snow fell on the city. There was still snow on the ground on Christmas Eve, but it was mostly gone by Christmas Day.
According to the National Climatic Data Center, the probability of a White Christmas is officially zero at Birmingham, Anniston and Tuscaloosa. The probability at Huntsville is 3% and 7% at Muscle Shoals.
You might wonder where you might have the best chance to experience a White Christmas in the United States statistically. Officially, it is Stampede Pass, Washington. The chance there is 100%. In fact, there is a 100% probability that you will see a five inch snow there on Christmas morning and a 96% chance for a ten inch snow cover.
Other places that have a 100% probability of a White Christmas include Marquette and Sault St. Marie, Michigan, and Hibbing and International Falls, Minnesota.
Little chance of a White Christmas here in Alabama this year. Across the country, the best chances will come across the mountains of the West and the Upper Midwest. Additional snow showers will fall on top of the existing snow cover this week. Additional snow showers will fall all week in northern New England.
-Bill Murray
Here in Birmingham, in the nearly one hundred years that weather records have been kept, there has never been a White Christmas in the classic definition. We came close in 1985, when a few snow flurries left a dusting on the ground. It was not enough to measure, however. A trace of snow has fallen on December 24th or 25th eight other times in Birmingham, the last time in 1995. On December 22, 1929, 5.5 inches of snow fell on the city. There was still snow on the ground on Christmas Eve, but it was mostly gone by Christmas Day.
According to the National Climatic Data Center, the probability of a White Christmas is officially zero at Birmingham, Anniston and Tuscaloosa. The probability at Huntsville is 3% and 7% at Muscle Shoals.
You might wonder where you might have the best chance to experience a White Christmas in the United States statistically. Officially, it is Stampede Pass, Washington. The chance there is 100%. In fact, there is a 100% probability that you will see a five inch snow there on Christmas morning and a 96% chance for a ten inch snow cover.
Other places that have a 100% probability of a White Christmas include Marquette and Sault St. Marie, Michigan, and Hibbing and International Falls, Minnesota.
Little chance of a White Christmas here in Alabama this year. Across the country, the best chances will come across the mountains of the West and the Upper Midwest. Additional snow showers will fall on top of the existing snow cover this week. Additional snow showers will fall all week in northern New England.
-Bill Murray
man it is past 12z time
on December 19, 2005, 12:13 pm
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on December 20, 2005, 1:31 am
I'm working on a system, hope to have it running Wednesday night.
If humidity gets low, below 50%, I think it will work.
Redneck snow may not last till Christmas though.
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