Dreaming Of A White Christmas In Denver? Not This Year!

DENVER (CBS4) - Since snow depth measurements started in Denver 119 years ago, there has been at least 1 inch of snow on the ground on Christmas Day 45 times. In other words, the historical likelihood for a white Christmas in Denver is just shy of 40%.

For the second year in a row, no snow will be ground in the Denver metro area other than the slowly disappearing snow piles leftover from snow that fell weeks ago.

Prior to Christmas 2018, the Denver area had experienced four years in a row with snow falling on Christmas Day and at least minor accumulation in most areas.

Of course it's a completely different story this year in the Colorado high country. Not only do all mountain areas have a deep snowpack, snow is likely in the mountains Tuesday night into Wednesday. Accumulation will be light but falling snow will certainly keep everyone in the holiday spirit. That said, travel could become slick along portions of the I-70 mountain corridor by Christmas morning and slowdowns are possible in the mountains through Wednesday night.

Accumulating snow is guaranteed to stay in the mountains but a few flurries may successfully reach Denver and the Front Range Wednesday evening. Otherwise Christmas Day in the metro area will include a mix of sun and clouds with above normal temperatures reaching near 50 degrees.

By the way, the most snow ever recorded on the ground in Denver on Christmas Day is 24 inches in 1982. This was just after a Christmas Eve blizzard. The heaviest snow on Christmas Day occurred more recently;  7.8 inches in 2007. That broke the previous record of 6.4 inches back in 1894.

For more on Denver's Christmas climatology, click here.