A History of White Christmases in Kentucky and Indiana

Are you dreaming of a White Christmas?  Well, unfortunately, if you're hoping for some snowfall on Christmas Day, history really isn't on our side here in the tristate.  According to the National Weather Service, we have only seen trace amounts of snowfall on Christmas Day in four of the last fourteen years.  And we're batting a big fat zero over the last four years.  Here's a look at some fascinating National Weather Service stats about Christmas weather in the WBKR listening area.

Here's a look at Christmas highs, lows and precipitation since 2002.  As you'll see, we've had very little snow on Christmas Day, with just trace amounts recorded in 2002, 2009, 2010 and 2012.

However, while we had trace amounts of snowfall on Christmas Day in 2009, we were thwacked with a major winter storm just days before Christmas that year. Remember this?

And that white stuff, piles of it, stayed on the ground through Christmas.  It halted travel, shopping and upended the holiday for thousands and thousands of folks in Kentucky, Indiana and beyond.

As you can see, 2009 holds the record for the most snow on the ground for Christmas here in the tristate.  We had a whopping average of nine inches of snow left over from that brutal winter storm.

But 2004, if we're speaking historically, was an anomaly.  According to the graph above, it's been seven years since we have had ANY snow on the ground for Christmas.  Back in 2010, we were holding on to three inches of snow and we actually enjoyed a real White Christmas.  We've hadn't really had one since.

So, what will 2017 bring?  Will we have a white Christmas?  Here's a look at this year's holiday forecast from several weather agencies.