White Christmas in DC? Here are the chances the DMV sees snow for the holiday

WASHINGTON - With the holiday just a week away, and snow still lingering on the ground in some suburbs, many are wondering if the December trend will continue and we'll wake up to a White Christmas in D.C. 

Back to 1871, DC has only seen 1" or more of snow fall four times on Christmas Day. Three times on Christmas Eve.

What we know:

Always an elusive occurrence, a White Christmas is officially defined as at least one inch of snow on the ground the morning of December 25th. Historical data shows the city has seen a White Christmas only about ten percent of the time over more than a century of records. 

The last time D.C. saw a White Christmas was in 2009 and the last time snow actually fell on Christmas Day was 2002. 

In any given year, there is only about a 9% chance of snow falling on Christmas Day in Washington, DC.

Although, it HAS been an unusually cold and snowy first half of December! D.C. saw its first inch of snow three weeks earlier than average, on December 5th. 

A second storm followed this past weekend where areas to the north and east saw up to 4-5 inches. At this point temperatures are running over nine degrees above normal - a staggering stat for a winter month! 

Snowfall reported on the ground as of December 17th, 2025

This early winter season helped boost snow lovers' spirits, but temperatures have moderated since. The weekend will start chilly but not as cold as days past. It also looks to be a dry weekend across the Mid-Atlantic which is great for early holiday travel. 

What's next:

By Tuesday a weak clipper-like system moves by, but only a few rain showers are expected at this time. As for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day, the models are split, with some showing a chance of rain and others dry. Whether it rains or not, temperatures look mild enough that any snow would be unlikely. 

So, it seems that we will NOT see a White Christmas in D.C. this year. 

Current model projections showing snowfall projections on Christmas Eve & Christmas Day next week across the United States

December is not over on the 25th, though! With more cold fronts moving by late month, we could still see a chance of snow before the end of 2025. Stay tuned!