At a Glance
- New York City had its first measurable snowfall of the season this weekend.
- Central Park received 1.8 inches of snow.
- This doesn’t guarantee a white Christmas for New Yorkers, as much of the snow has already melted.
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New York City had its first measurable snowfall of the season this weekend just in time for Christmas.
The city received 1.8 inches of snow, according to a reading in Central Park, which was just enough to turn the city into a Winter Wonderland.
New York City on average receives its first measurable snowfall on December 13, so this year’s snowfall is only a little behind schedule. This is a marked improvement compared to the 2022-2023 season, which had no days with at least 1 inch of snow, and the 2023-2024 season, which had the city waiting until January 16, 2024 for snow.
The January 16, 2024 snow ended a record-smashing period of days without measurable snow in New York City at 701 snowless days. The previous record was only 383 days.
Have Wishes For A White Christmas Been Granted?
Unfortunately for anyone in New York City hoping for a white Christmas, a snowy Christmas morning isn’t a guarantee.
Some of the snow has already melted as of Sunday morning, and highs on Tuesday (aka Christmas Eve!) are going to reach the upper 30s to lower 40s, which could further melt the wintery coating.
(MORE: White Christmas Forecast 2024: Here's Where The Best Chances Are This Year)
While it may be disappointing, it’s not necessarily a surprise to New Yorkers to not have a white Christmas. The city historically has an 11% chance of a white Christmas, and the last white Christmas was in 2009.
Sara Tonks is a content meteorologist with weather.com and has a bachelor’s and a master’s degree from Georgia Tech in Earth and Atmospheric Sciences along with a master’s degree from Unity Environmental University in Marine Science.
