It’s been more than 20 years since certain portions of Pennsylvania have seen a White Christmas. You have to go back to Dec. 25, 2002, when a strong winter storm produced a significant snowfall across parts of Central New York and Northeast Pennsylvania. 

That year, 8 inches of snow were recorded at Harrisburg International Airport (HIA) in Middletown, while some areas north of the Susquehanna Valley received 2 feet of snow that Christmas.

Palmyra Township, Wayne County: 24 inchesPrompton Dam, Wayne County: 20 inchesMahanoy City, Schuylkill County: 17.5 inchesClarks Summit, Lackawanna County: 15 inchesTamaqua, Schuylkill County: 12 inchesLaporte, Sullivan County: 12 inchesClifton, Lackawanna County: 12 inches

In the Philadelphia area, however, the storm dropped slightly more than an inch of snow.

What Is a White Christmas?

A white Christmas is defined by the National Weather Service as an inch or more of snow on the ground on Christmas morning. According to FOX 29 News, the last White Christmas in the Philadelphia area occurred in 2009. That year, 8 inches of snow remained on the ground from a winter storm that had moved through the area several days earlier.

On average, only about one-third of the Lower 48 states have snow on the ground on Christmas Day. In 2023, only 18% of the contiguous U.S. states had snow on the ground on Christmas Day.

Christmas Forecast

Clear skies are forecast for Christmas Eve, but clouds will be in the forecast on Christmas Day, with high temperatures in the mid-40s.