National map of historical probabilities of a White Christmas

Map shows the historical frequency of a White Christmas.  Map courtesy of the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC).

  • The historical frequency of a white Christmas across our region averages about 15 percent.  A White Christmas is defined as one with an inch or more of snow on the ground at 6 A.M. The official snow depth is taken once each day at 6 A.M.   
  • The last White Christmas throughout our region was in 2004, when there were 11 inches on the ground at Evansville and 9 inches on the ground at Paducah. This was the result of a record snowfall on Dec. 22.
  • Many parts of southern Illinois and southwest Indiana experienced a White Christmas in 2002. A snowstorm affected much of southern Illinois on Christmas Eve of 2002, bringing up to 8 inches.

What about this year? Refer to the latest 7-day forecast, which covers now through Christmas. Additional details on snow potential can be found in the Hazardous Weather Outlook. 

Christmas Normals and Records
  Normal high Normal low Record high Record low
Evansville 42 24

68 in 1982

-11 in 2004
Paducah  44 25

69 in 1982

-8 in 2004
Cape Girardeau 42 26

65 in 1982

-10 in 2004
Carbondale 41 23

67 in 1982

-9 in 2004

 

Recent Christmas Weather
  Evansville, IN Paducah, KY  
Year High Low Snow depth High Low Snow depth Year
2008 36 20 0 41 24 0 2008
2007 50 25 0 51 23 0 2007
2006 41 38 0 43 37 0 2006
2005 45 34 0 43 37 0 2005
2004 25 -11 11 27 -8 9 2004
2003 40 23 0 42 18 0 2003
2002 29 25 Trace 27 24 Trace 2002
2001 30 20 0 32 19 0 2001
2000 22 0 Trace 24 7 Trace 2000
1999 34 8 Trace 37 12 0 1999
1998 34 12 0 38 11 0 1998
1997 44 33 0 43 37 0 1997
1996 28 16 0 30 17 0 1996
1995 30 21 Trace 31 21 Trace 1995

 

Recent Christmas Weather
  Cape Girardeau, MO Carbondale, IL  
Year High Low Snow depth High Low Snow depth Year
2008 40 24 M 38 20 0 2008
2007 51 24 M 51 25 0 2007
2006 44 36 M 42 34 0 2006
2005 46 36 M 44 36 0 2005
2004 25 -10 M 26 -11 9 2004
2003 41 18 M 44 19 0 2003
2002 26 21 M 27 19 4 2002
2001 32 18 M 32 20 0 2001
2000 21 6 M 18 3 3 2000
1999 36 13 M 36 12 0 1999


Severe Storms and Tornadoes During Past Christmas Seasons:
A major tornado outbreak occurred in our region on December 18, 1957.
Eleven deaths and 200 injuries occurred with a single F-4 tornado that tracked across parts of Jackson, Williamson, and Franklin Counties in southern Illinois. Another F-4 tornado in Jefferson County, Illinois killed 1 and injured 45. An hour or two later, a tornado rated F-3 intensity tracked 20 miles across Hamilton, White, and Edwards Counties. Only a handful of injuries were reported in that tornado. Three deaths were associated with an F-3 tornado in Scott County, Missouri.

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