Des Moines' Christmas Snow: A Rare Treat

In Des Moines, a white Christmas is not a sure thing. Only about half the time, there's at least an inch of snow on the ground on Christmas Day. This has been the case since records began in 1939. Recently, it's been even less common, with just three official white Christmases since 2015. But what counts as a white Christmas? The National Weather Service says it's when there's at least one inch of snow on the ground. It doesn't matter if it's snowing that day or not. So, if you're dreaming of a Christmas with snowflakes falling, you might be out of luck more often than not. Looking back, the chances of a white Christmas are higher in northern Iowa and lower in the south. But even in Des Moines, there's usually at least a little snow on the ground about two-thirds of the time. The city has never gone more than three Christmases in a row without any snow at all. Things were different from 2007 to 2013. During those years, Des Moines had at least five inches of snow on the ground every Christmas except one. But since then, the trend has changed. The last time Des Moines got more than an inch of snow on Christmas was in 2009.What about snow falling on Christmas Day? It's not very common. Since 1939, snow has fallen on less than a third of Christmas Days. And significant snowfall is even rarer. Des Moines has only had four Christmases with an inch or more of new snow since 1939. The snowiest Christmas on record was in 1941. The city got nearly five inches of snow, and a massive storm followed, dumping over two feet of snow in a week. But these big snowstorms are not the norm. If you're not a fan of cold weather, you might be in luck. Warm Christmases are happening more often. The warmest Christmas Day in Des Moines was in 2019, with a high of 60 degrees. And the warmest December day on record was in 2021, with a high of 74 degrees. But don't count out cold Christmases just yet. In 2022, temperatures dropped to 2 degrees below zero. And in 2000, they hit minus 12, which was also the snowiest December on record. Still, brutally cold Christmases have become rare. Only two have happened since the year 2000. So, if you're hoping for a white Christmas in Des Moines, it's a bit of a gamble. But if you're okay with a little snow or even no snow at all, you're more likely to be happy. And if you prefer warmer weather, there's a good chance you'll get that too.