May All Your Christmases Be White, Except this One

If you’re dreaming of a white Christmas this year, it’s becoming less likely that your dreams will come true. What's the cause? Global warming . That's according to newly released data. 

Mild weather is forecast across much of the US for the remainder of this week. It should last into the Christmas weekend. That makes it unlikely snow will fall in your neck of the woods by the 25th.  

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) revealed this week that “more areas experienced decreases in their chances of a white Christmas than increases” over the last 10 years. NOAA considers a white Christmas as one that includes an inch or more of snowfall.  

A Washington Post study of the data found that the chance of a white Christmas decreased in 18 of the 25 cities studied. Denver and Columbus had the largest drops. And a CNN analysis found the chance of a white Christmas decreased in 64% of the 2,000 locations in NOAA’s database.   

Rising average temperatures in the southern parts of the US have led to more rain and less snow.   

Record-setting warmth has settled over the Lower 48 states this month. Some regions are on track for their warmest December on record. Chicago, for example, has never gone this long without measurable snowfall. And Christmas Day should reach 45 degrees in the Windy City. That's unusually high for December.