What are the chances that central Indiana will see a white Christmas this year?

Indianapolis, Indiana – Some of us will always hope for a white Christmas, but in central Indiana, the chances of that happening this year seem bleak.

It was a white Christmas last year, with just an inch of snow covering the ground. Christmas Day in 2022 was not covered in snow, but the days before saw a flash freeze and just 1.6 inches of snowfall in Indianapolis thanks to a powerful cyclone. We haven’t seen any kind of snow on Christmas Day since 2020.

A white Christmas can mean many different things, but one of the more widely accepted ones is when there is at least one inch of snow on Christmas morning. This particular statistic has been monitored by NOAA’s climate averages from 1991 to 2020.

On Christmas, Indianapolis and the majority of the areas north of Interstate 70 typically get 26 to 40% chance of at least one inch of snowfall. South Central Indiana spots are less fortunate, with most falling between 11 and 25% of the total.

Please turn away if you are hoping for a snow-covered Christmas landscape. The Climate Prediction Center strongly favors above-average temperatures in the run-up to Christmas in its 8–14 day prediction (December 18–24). Additionally, the Ohio River valley is showing a strong indication of below-average precipitation.

These predictions are, of course, never assured. For the best chance for a white Christmas, go here to read our most recent weather update.