There’s a better chance to golf than sled in many non-mountain locations in Colorado this Christmas.
That’s especially true in Fort Collins, where 1.7 inches of snow has fallen this season, while the average for this time of year is 17 inches, according to the Colorado Climate Center. This time last year there was 18 inches of snow on the ground in Fort Collins.
The National Weather Service forecast for Fort Collins through Christmas Day (Wednesday) calls for highs in the 50s and even 60 degrees – the average high temperature in Fort Collins this time of year is in the low 40s. There is a slight chance of rain for Fort Collins on Christmas Day, which could turn to snow into the night. A high temperature of 51 degrees is forecast.
Colorado’s mountains have a good chance of receiving 1 to 3 inches of snow around Christmas.
Fort Collins’ history of a white Christmas
The definition of a white Christmas is one inch or more of snow on the ground.
According to the Colorado Climate Center, the city’s official weather station on Colorado State University’s main campus has had at least an inch of snow on the ground at Christmas 60% of the time over the past two decades.
Russ Schumacher, Colorado’s state climatologist and professor in CSU’s Department of Atmospheric Sciences, wrote on the CSU Source website that two of the past six years have had a white Christmas with rain on Christmas Eve in 2021 and 2023.
According to the Climate Center, snow falls about 30% of the time in Fort Collins between 7:00 PM Christmas Eve and 7:00 PM Christmas Day.
Locations in Colorado and their chances of a white Christmas
Here are the odds (based on 1991-2020 climate data) that other Colorado locations will have at least an inch of snow on the ground on Christmas Day, according to NOAA observations:
This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: Will Colorado Have a White Christmas? It depends on where you live
