Mother Nature is going to pull a full surprise this year when she decides who will enjoy a white Christmas in 2011, according to AccuWeather and a two-week outlook from the National Weather Service’s Climate Prediction Center.
It seems that residents in some northern cities where a white Christmas happens more often than not may awake to no snow while residents in warmer climates may be surprised by a white coating of snow on Christmas.
No White Christmas for Northeast
For example, residents in northern cities such as Boston, New York, Providence may be left out in green fields, according to AccuWeather, which issued its outlook for the odds for a white Christmas on Monday, Dec. 12.
Warmth Remains Along East Coast
At the same time, a large area of warmer-than-normal temperatures will settle in over the eastern third of the United States, dashing hopes for a white Christmas. So residents in the I-95 corridor cities of Washington, Philadelphia, Newark, New York, Providence and Boston are doubtful of seeing a white Christmas, says AccuWeather.
Overall, December is going to be warmer than normal for the East Coast, according the Climate Prediction Center and its forecast for December.
December has been such a warm month for this time of the year that residents in coastal cities along the Atlantic Seaboard as far north as Maine, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland won’t experience a white Christmas, says AccuWeather.
Better White Christmas Odds in the Heartland
For other cities such as Pittsburgh, Chicago, Cleveland, and Indianapolis the outlook for a white Christmas is doubtful. Normally those cities have nearly a 50 percent chance of enjoying at least one inch of snow on the ground on Christmas morning, according to USA Today.
Snow Coming in New Mexico
Residents in the southwestern United States who almost never wake up to a a white Christmas could have something to cheer about this year, according to the Climate Prediction Center forecast issued also on Dec. 12. The prediction center says a large area of colder-than-normal temperatures will settle in across Arizona, New Mexico and a large portion of Texas between Dec. 20 and Dec. 26.
As a result, residents in the northern half of Arizona will probably have greater odds of enjoying a white Christmas and residents in the northern half of New Mexico should wake up to a white Christmas, according to AccuWeather.
There is good news for some, however.
AccuWeather predicts that residents in northern tier cities such as Buffalo, Toronto, Detroit, Milwaukee and Omaha will enjoy a white Christmas. Traditionally, these areas enjoy a better than 60 percent chance of a white Christmas, according to USA Today.