The tri-state area enjoyed a snowy Winter Solstice this year, and now our attention turns to Christmas – and specifically, our chance of a White Christmas! Certainly, our current cold snap is keeping us cold enough for snow.

A White Christmas in upstate New York is looking more and more likely. With several inches of snow already on the ground, it isn't a certainty, but is certainly likely, said Meteorologist Bob Hamilton of the National Weather Service in Buffalo.

First, let's define our terms: according to the National Weather Service, a white Christmas happens when there is one inch or more of snow on the ground on the morning of the holiday.

It need not snow Dec. 25 to fit the Weather Service's definition of a white Christmas: There just needs to be at least one inch of snow on the ground. A trace amount of snow also does not count. On average, about 38% of the Lower 48 has an inch of snow on the ground on Christmas Day, according to 21 years of data compiled by NOAA.

Several others have waited decades since the last rare white Christmas in their area. A belt of locations across the continent has not seen one since 2009, when a powerful blizzard swept across the country,

A source from the National Weather Service defines a white Christmas as having one inch of snow (or more) on the ground by Christmas morning. Different cultures and regions may have different definitions,

With Christmas right around the corner, many are checking the forecast – and some are even dreaming (sorry Southerners) – of a snowy holiday to match the classic, “White Christmas.” In 2023, a white Christmas remained true to the song – a dream.