Dear Tom,
Historically, what are Chicago's chances of experiencing a white Christmas? Is New Year's Day more likely to see snow on the ground?
Nick Recchia,
River Grove
Dear Nick,
At least 1 inch of snow must cover the ground for a “white Christmas,” according to the National Weather Service. By that criterion, and using Midway Airport data, the likelihood of a white Christmas in the city is 43 percent, and 47 percent for a white New Year's Day. That's the word from Chicago weather archivist Frank Wachowski.
Wachowski said Christmas 1951 was the whitest of them all, with nearly 11/2 feet of snow blanketing the city — including 8.6 inches that began falling on Christmas Eve and continued into Christmas Day. The greatest snow cover on New Year's Day was 16 inches in 2001.
