TAMPA, Fla. — The recent colder weather across Tampa Bay may have put some holiday cheer in the air.  However, nothing screams Christmas more than a fresh layer of snow coating the ground on Christmas morning.

As far as we're concerned for Tampa, there isn't a snowballs chance that we will have a white Christmas. Bah humbug. However, many Floridians travel north for the holidays where a white Christmas is not out of reach. We thought it would be interesting to see which areas tend to see a white Christmas each year. 

The map below shows the historic probability of a white Christmas with at least one inch of snow on the ground for Christmas morning. The probability ranges from zero here in Tampa to near 100% for some towns in the Rockies. In fact, if you wanted to guarantee a white Christmas on any given year, Aspen, Colorado is the spot.  Aspen is one of the few towns in the U.S. that enjoys a white Christmas almost every year. 

History says most of Idaho, Minnesota, Maine, Upstate New York, the Allegheny Mountains of Pennsylvania and West Virginia, along with the Rockies and Sierra Nevada Mountains out west have a fairly high probability of observing a white Christmas. These areas tend to be cooler, supporting snow pack for longer periods of time. 

While the Great Plains often sees snow leading up to Christmas, large temperature swings can melt snow quickly leading to a green Christmas. This area tends to have a much lower probability of a white Christmas. 

Looking ahead at the temperature outlook for the upcoming week, the eastern and central United States will likely trend above average while the West Coast sees cooler weather. The warmer weather over the Great Lakes and Northeast will lead to melting snow as we approach Christmas morning.