Environment
How the Chances of a White Christmas Have Changed Since the 1960s
A new analysis of weather data shows that in a few regions, it has become less common to see snow over the holidays.
He's a feature of so many holiday gatherings: the creaky codger, reminding you how in his day he had to slog through miles of chest-high snow to buy the Christmas ham. But is that memory correct—is modern December snowfall punier than the robust, puts-hair-on-your-chest powder of yore?
No and yes, according to a new analysis of weather during Christmas week across North America. In much of the country, the number of days with holiday snow on the ground has actually grown over the past several decades. But in a few regions—notably the Pacific Northwest, Montana, Nebraska, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and around the lower Great Lakes—it's become much less common to see snow frosting the grass over winter break.