White Christmas Forecast Changes With 4 New States Expected to Receive Snow

The latest White Christmas forecast from the Weather Channel brought good news for those hoping for a white Christmas in the Northeast, but bad news for those hoping for a dusting in the Midwest.

"A white Christmas is likely only for the usual spots in the upper Midwest and mountain West, but its chances are ticking upward for parts of the Northeast," the Weather Channel said in an updated forecast on Wednesday, Dec. 17.

How Meteorologists Define 'White Christmas'

In the latest update from the Weather Channel, they revealed what actually constitutes a white Christmas.

"Meteorologists define a 'white Christmas' as having at least 1 inch of snow on the ground Christmas morning," the Weather Channel said. "It's snow cover, not falling snow, that counts. So, if there's no snow on the ground in the morning, and an inch of snow falls that afternoon or evening, it doesn't count as a white Christmas."

Northeast Now Expecting to See Snow on Christmas

A new forecast from the Weather Channel brought the "possible" snowfall south into parts of southern New England including Connecticut, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

"That's because there are a pair of weather systems that could bring either snow, sleet or ice to the Northeast next week. The first could arrive Tuesday, mainly in the Hudson Valley and New England. The second could arrive as soon as Christmas Day a bit farther south," the Weather Channel said.

Those states can expect to see at least one inch of snowfall before Christmas morning.

Midwest Expected to See Warmer Temperatures

While much of the Midwest has been under heavy snowfall for the better part of the month, warmer temperatures are expected to heat up the region.

"First, a general warming trend is kicking off in much of the country that will last into Christmas week. That includes the snow-covered, recently cold Midwest," the Weather Channel said. "Yes, there will be some cold fronts in the days ahead. But these cold air intrusions are expected to be increasingly pinned to the northern tier and won't last as long as recent cold snaps in most areas."

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