Content-Length: 100400 | pFad | https://www.weather.gov/epz/christmasweatherhistory

ad Christmas Weather History and Extremes for El Paso, TX
National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Are you dreaming of a White Christmas? Life in the Chihuahuan desert makes snow an uncommon occurrence in El Paso, so what weather conditions are most typical for the borderland this festive time of year? Christmas weather in far west Texas can feature wide ranges of winter temperatures, ranging from 73 to 22 degrees over the past 10 years! Pacific low pressure system are the most common sources of precipitation this time of year, usually in the form of lowland rain and mountain snow. Conditions have to be perfect for lowland snow, usually with the presence of a backdoor cold front undercutting a storm system. This story features a wealth of Christmas Day weather and climate information focused specifically on El Paso, TX. Weather records date back to 1879 (official weather data recorded at El Paso International Airport since 1942).

Temperatures: According to the entire period of record, the warmest Christmas on record was 75° in 1933 and the coldest low temperature was 10° in 1953. More recently, Christmas 2021 reached a high temperature of 73° and Christmas 2022 had a low temperature of 22°, quite the difference in just one year! Only 6-of-145 Christmas Days on record have features high temperatures 70° or warmer, but two of those have occurred in the last 10 years. On the opposite end, freezing overnight temperatures (below 32°) have occurred in 79-of-145 Christmas Days (55%) of low temperature recordings. One of the most bitterly cold in recent memory was the nationwide cold snap of Christmas 1983, with a high of 31° and a low of 13° for El Paso.

Precipitation/Snowfall: As for precipitation, only 14-of-145 Christmas Days (10%) had measurable precipitation. December is typically a dry month for the region, which makes rainfall more sporadic. The daily record for rainfall is 0.57” in 1948. Snow on Christmas Day is extremely rare, but possible. 10-of-144 Christmas Days featured some sort of snow in El Paso, most recently in 1997. Christmas 1974 was especially significant with a daily record 4 inches of snow that day. The historic 2015 winter storm which dumped 8 inches of snow on El Paso occurred the day after Christmas (Dec 26-27).



"White Christmas" Probability: The map below, from the National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI), depicts the probability of having a "White Christmas" based on 30-year normals from 1991-2020. A "White Christmas" is defined as having AT LEAST 1" of snow on the ground at the official early-AM observation time (5 AM MST in our area). As depicted, while the northern mountains of New Mexico and Colorado have good chances, snow in the Rio Grande valley is very uncommon. Most of southern New Mexico and far west Texas sits between a 0-10% chance of having a white Christmas. Specifically in El Paso, there has never been a white Christmas in recorded history, despite 10 Christmas Days with recorded snowfall. Snow depth rarely sticks around and any overnight snow has quickly melted before the morning observation time.
 
What Is The Historical Probability Of A White Christmas?
Based On 30-Year Normals (1991-2020) -- Click HERE for Interactive Map

 

White Christmas History for El Paso, TX

 **2023 Christmas Recap for El Paso: **Very Average Christmas After Hottest Year On Record**

Christmas 2023 was about as climatologically average as you could get. A daily average temperature of 46 degrees was right near the 30-year climate average of 45 degrees. This Christmas fell within a cooling trend, as weather just a few days previous were much warmer. Lowland rain showers occurred on December 20-23, with a dusting of snow on the high mountains. The rest of the year was dry. Weather was very quiet in our region, despite a winter storm tracking across the Midwest. Portions of Nebraska and South Dakota saw a White Christmas, while El Paso and southern New Mexico were dry.

Sunny skies and light northwest flow brought about the beautiful day for family and community gatherings. 

 

Date

High Temp

Low Temp

Precip

Snow

Weather Summary

12/25/2023 55 37 0.00 0.0 Quiet, seasonal weather. Light northwest winds.
Clear skies.

 

 

 

El Paso TX (1879-2023)

High Temp

Low Temp

Precip

30-Year Climate Normals (1991-2020) 57° 33° 0.01"
10-Year Averages (2014-2023) 62.5° 34.2° 0.00"

 

 

El Paso TX All-Time Christmas Records (Since 1879)

Warmest HIGH Temperature 75° in 1933, 73° in 2021
Coldest HIGH Temperature 31° in 1983
Warmest LOW Temperature 54° in 1964
Coldest LOW Temperature 10° in 1953
Most Precipitation on Record 0.57" in 1948 (trace of snow)
Snowiest on Record 4.1" in 1974
Years with Measurable Snowfall 1974, 1982, 1987, 1997
 

Top 5 Warmest Highs

Top 5 Coldest Lows

Top 5 Highest Precip

Top 5 Snowiest

75° in 1933 10° in 1953 0.57" in 1948 4.1" in 1974
73° in 2021 13° in 1983 0.46" in 1974 4.0" in 1982
71° in 2017 17° in 1990 0.24" in 1982 2.1" in 1987
71° in 1971 17° in 1973 0.23" in 1991 1.0" in 1997
70° in 1980 18° in 1981 0.20" in 1987 T in 1991
 
 

When is the last time _______ happened on Christmas in El Paso?

  • Last occurrence of 70°+:                             73° in 2021
     
  • Last time high temperature 50° or colder: 44° in 2011 
     
  • Last time high temperature 40° or colder: 40° in 2002
     
  • Last time low temperature 40° or warmer: 41° in 2015
     
  • Last time low temperature 20° or colder:   19° in 2004

  • Last time measurable precipitation fell (0.01"+): 0.06" in 2000
     
  • Last time ANY snow fell (T or 0.1"+):                      1.0" in 1997
     
  • Last time at least 1" of snow on ground at 5 AM:    Never
 
 

Christmas Over THE LAST 30 YEARS...Since 1994

  • High temperatures have ranged from 38° (1997) to 73° (2021)
     
  • Low temperatures have ranged from 19° (2004, 2001) to 43° (2003)
     
  • The high temperature has reached 60° or higher eleven times!
    (2021, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2015, 2014, 2008, 2007, 2005, 2003, 2000)

     
  • The low temperature has dipped below 30° twelve times
     (2022, 2020, 2011, 2009, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2002, 2001, 1998, 1997, 1995)
     
  • Measurable precipitation (0.01"+) has fallen only three times!
    (2000, 1999, 1997)

     
  • Measurable snow (0.1"+) has fallen one time (1.0" in 1997)

 

 

The 10 Most Recent Christmases in

El Paso (2014-2023):

Date

High Temp

Low Temp

Precip

Snow

12/25/2014 68 34 0.00 0.0
12/25/2015 68 41 0.00 0.0
12/25/2016 55 36 0.00 0.0
12/25/2017 71 35 0.00 0.0
12/25/2018 66 38 0.00 0.0
12/25/2019 60 35 0.00 0.0
12/25/2020 51 22 0.00 0.0
12/25/2021 73 42 0.00 0.0
12/25/2022 58 22 0.00 0.0
12/25/2023 55 37 0.00 0.0
10-Year Averages 62.5° 34.2° 0.00" 0.0"
 

 

For more local climate information, check out the following website:

nws logo Media use of NWS Web News Stories is encouraged!
Please acknowledge the NWS as the source of any news information accessed from this site.
nws logo


Last updated for 2023: 12-31-23









ApplySandwichStrip

pFad - (p)hone/(F)rame/(a)nonymizer/(d)eclutterfier!      Saves Data!


--- a PPN by Garber Painting Akron. With Image Size Reduction included!

Fetched URL: https://www.weather.gov/epz/christmasweatherhistory

Alternative Proxies:

Alternative Proxy

pFad Proxy

pFad v3 Proxy

pFad v4 Proxy