TOLEDO, Ohio — Are you dreaming of a white Christmas?
While the forecast is still materializing for what we're likely to get in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan on Dec. 25, we can tell, in general, what odds are in any given year to have lovely, snow-covered conditions for the holiday.
In our region, you can count on a white Christmas for one out of every three years, on average, according to the WTOL 11 weather team.
Consider that for Christmas, 2022, a winter storm that hit the region a couple of days before the holiday left about an inch of snow on the ground for Dec. 25.
Christmas 2021 delivered a 1-inch blanket of Christmas snow, a nice holiday treat for snow lovers.
That doesn't mean we will miss out on snow this year, however, it appears highly unlikely that we will see any snow this Christmas. Stay tuned to WTOL 11's forecasts as we get closer to Dec. 25 for updated predictions.
One thing to keep in mind is that thanks in part to climate change, our winters in general are getting a little warmer.
Since 1970, Christmas in Toledo has grown 3.2 degrees warmer, a trend that has decreased the odds of Christmas snow.
Also consider that the greatest effect on our winter this year is the impact of a strong El Niño. This pattern has been identified to have very close and direct impacts on our local weather through the winter season. Most noteworthy, the warming in an El Niño pattern and ultimate domino effect more frequently leads to the displacement of the polar jet stream north into Canada. The result is an overall warmer, drier and less snowy winter season.
If we receive no more measurable snow before Christmas, it would be only the fourth time in recorded history that we have had a seasonal snow total of less than an inch by Christmas.
More on WTOL:
What's the weather like where you are?
Share your photos by tapping "Near Me" on the WTOL 11 News app navigation bar at the bottom of your screen! Be sure to give us your name and you may just see your photos on air.
