Warmest Christmas since 2005 possible

SPOKANE VALLEY – Area residents hoping for a snowy Christmas may be disappointed this year.

According to the National Weather Service Forecast Office in Spokane, the area is set to have warmer temperatures and even some rain.

“It’s a little far out, but it looks like temperatures will be in the low 40s,” said Daniel Butler, meteorologist with the Weather Service. “We should see some rain in the evening.”

While Christmas without snow may feel unusual, Butler said it happens more often than people think.

“For Spokane, 67% of the time, it does not snow on Christmas,” he said. “As far as having now snow on the ground, 28% of the time there is now snow.”

This year’s mild weather could be the warmest Christmas since 2005 when the high hit 48 degrees.

“In the last 20 years, 9 out of 20 Christmases have had zero snowfall,” said Butler, reiterating that Christmas without snow is not unusual.

The predicted rain is the result of an atmospheric river; a common weather system in the winter that pulls in moisture but keeps temperatures warm.

While Christmas will likely be green, the long-term winter outlook is colder and wetter.

“Looking ahead, there’s about a 40% chance of colder weather and a 40-50% chance of wetter weather,” he said. “It’s not guaranteed if it will be snow or rain.”

When asked about long-term trends, Butler said the weather shows no clear patterns over the last century.

Author Bio

Clare McGraw, Reporter

Clare is an Eastern Washington University graduate and a reporter at Free Press Publishing.