Christmas Day will look a little different in Iowa this year, with higher-than-average temperatures and almost no chance of snow.
Last year, Iowans faced blizzard conditions and closed interstates in the days before Christmas. That’s not in the forecast for this year. Iowa could see a warmer and possibly drier winter as the country moves into an El Nino weather pattern.
What’s the outlook for a white Christmas in Iowa for 2023?
“Instead of snow on Sunday, and into Christmas, we’ll probably see rain,” said Allan Curtis, meteorologist at NWS Des Moines.
Curtis said there probably won’t be a white Christmas anywhere within the state of Iowa this year.
This year, Des Moines has a 50% chance of light rainfall on Christmas Day. Rainfall is expected to start late Saturday night, Dec. 23, running into Sunday, Dec. 24, as well as Christmas Day and night. Temperatures can be expected to remain in the high 40s to mid-50s all weekend and Christmas Day.
The average Christmas Day temperature is 25 degrees, but this year’s temperatures are forecast to be in the mid-50s during the day. Des Moines’ record high Dec. 25 was 60 degrees in 2019, with a record low of -15 degrees in 1983.
How often does Des Moines have a white Christmas?
Since 2010, Des Moines has only had eight white Christmases, according to National Weather Service data. That includes 2014 when there was just 0.0001 inch of snow on the ground that was gone by Dec. 26.
Of recent Christmas Days, 2010 and 2012 had the most snow cover with 6 inches on the ground each year. The historic record is 17 inches of snow cover set in 1961.
The city’s record high snowfall on Christmas Day is 4.8 inches, set way back in 1941.
So a White Christmas is out of the cards this year, seriously, no chance.
But lest we forget, we had one last year! With 3 inches on the ground and about a half inch falling on Christmas in Des Moines. It was also a lot colder last year, including a high of 0⃣ on the 23rd! #iawx pic.twitter.com/UvNBTfqGYk
— NWS Des Moines (@NWSDesMoines) December 20, 2023
Des Moines’ average precipitation for Christmas Day is 0.3 inches of snowfall or 0.05 inches of rain.
Victoria Reyna-Rodriguez is a general assignment reporter for the Register. Reach her at vreynarodriguez@registermedia.com or follow her on Twitter@VictoriaReynaR.
This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: White Christmas in Des Moines? Iowa’s weather looks warm and rainy
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