One of the true joys around Christmas time is having a “White Christmas.” There’s nothing prettier than waking up on Christmas morning with a fresh blanket of snow.

For those dreaming, many across the state will get to spend the holiday merry and white. Unfortunately, not all will glisten. Some may be brown. 

What You Need To Know

  • Odds are favorable for a “white” Christmas

  • Especially for northern Wisconsin

  • Some in southern Wisconsin may suffer this year

  • Frigid pattern should keep snow on the ground

To have a “white” Christmas, an inch or more of snow must be on the ground Christmas morning.

For those who love to dream, the experts at NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) created a probability map of having a “white” Christmas using U.S. Climate Normals from 1981 to 2010.

Northern Wisconsin has the highest probability of having some snow covering the ground. On average, areas near or north of Rhinelander in north-central Wisconsin will have a 90% chance or greater to have some white stuff.

Wausau typically sits around 85 to 90% while Green Bay hovers slightly lower at 70 to 75%.

Southern Wisconsin has the lowest odds. Milwaukee and Madison drop into the 60 to 70% category.  

Predicted Snow

Even though parts of the state are currently snowless, a powerful winter storm will put enough snow on the ground to last for several days.

A good portion will be sitting under a hefty amount of snow by the weekend. Accumulations could reach a foot in some locations. 

However, the bigger question will be the longevity of the warm air and the amount of rain mixing in to dampen snow totals. Do some areas in southern Wisconsin suffer?

Snow totals look to be much lower for areas south of Madison and Milwaukee. There is a possibility that some in southwest and south-central Wisconsin turn brown. 

Cold Temperatures

With that much snow, it typically takes several days to melt completely. However, the pattern is turning rather frigid heading into the week of Christmas. 

Long-range temperatures will likely stay near or below freezing through Christmas Day. Therefore, the snow that falls this week will likely stay. 

In addition, a quick clipper just prior to Christmas may help to boost the snowflake totals. With that being said, the chance to have a "white" Christmas this year is looking very promising.

Please enjoy the snow and the time with family and friends this upcoming holiday season. Hopefully, the news of snow makes your season merry and bright!

Our team of meteorologists dives deep into the science of weather and breaks down timely weather data and information. To view more weather and climate stories, check out our weather blogs section.