It’s finally December and all I can think about is winter in El Paso. I picture the one magical week every year when we finally get to wear our cute jackets, pretend we know what “chill in the air” means, and drink hot chocolate without sweating. But this year? The Sun City has hit us with the ultimate plot twist. It’s December, we still haven’t had our first freeze, and according to local forecasters, we might be on track to break some records- again.
El Paso Still Hasn’t Hit Freezing Temperatures
If you feel like December has been suspiciously warm, you’re absolutely right. El Paso typically hits its first freeze by mid-November, but this year, we are weeks behind schedule with no frost, no icy mornings, and definitely no scraping windshields before work.
READ MORE: El Paso is the Texas City Getting Zero Rain this Winter
Speaking to the El Paso Times’ Natassia Paloma, Bladen Breitreiter, a senior forecaster with the National Weather Service, confirmed what we’re all feeling: “It’s not looking great for the prospect of us getting below freezing for the El Paso metro.”
Not only are we not freezing- we’re not even close! Models show temperatures hovering near normal or bumping above it well into December.
El Paso Could Break Its Latest First Freeze Record
El Paso’s latest first freeze on record is December 20; a mark hit in both 1939 and 2021. Last year, we didn’t dip to 32 degrees until December 10, and even that felt late. This year? We’re on track to push those dates, maybe even pass them.
Breitreiter told the Times that while it’s too early to officially call a record-breaker, all signs point to the warm trend continuing. “It’s going to be a minute before we get down below freezing,” he said.
READ MORE: First Snow Day 2022 Captured by El Pasoans
In other words: don’t turn off that ceiling fan just yet!
Warm Weather and La Niña Mean Low Odds for a White Christmas
For anyone holding out hope for a White Christmas- and bless your optimism- the forecast isn’t very encouraging. La Niña is in full swing, which means warmer, drier conditions across the Southwest.
Breitreiter explained that these conditions don’t support the kind of consistent cold fronts or storm systems needed to give us snow. “We’re not necessarily likely to see those persistent precipitation events or snowfall events,” he told the Times. “It’s not likely, but it doesn’t rule it out.”
So yes, there’s technically a chance. But it’s somewhere between “winning the lottery” and “finding a parking spot at The Fountains during the holidays.”
El Paso’s Winter: The Most Chaotic Season We Have
El Paso loves chaos, especially weather chaos. One day we’re in hoodies, the next day we’re in tank tops, and by sundown we’re in both. But even by our standards, this winter has been unusually warm.
Whether we break the record or not, one thing is clear: winter in the Sun City is going to take its sweet time arriving. But at this point, we should be used to it.
El Paso’s First Snow Day of 2022
El Pasoan’s capture the first snowfall of 2022
El Paso’s Best Winter Photo Ops Beyond San Jacinto Plaza
San Jacinto Plaza in Downtown El Paso is great, but if you want to try something different, check out these six locations in El Paso for that picture perfect winter selfie!