PORTLAND (WGME) — Some snow is expected in parts of Maine Wednesday night, but according to the National Weather Service, what is the definition of a white Christmas?
For it to officially be considered a white Christmas, you need at least one inch of snow on the ground at 7 a.m. on Christmas morning.
Many areas in the southern and coastal parts of Maine have little to no snow on the ground at the moment, so it may be tough for some areas.
Here’s a look at Portland’s stats in recorded history on Christmas Day.
The warmest temperature ever recorded was 62 degrees back in 2015, and the coldest temperature was 7 degrees.
In 2002, there was over a foot of snow that fell, that was the most snow ever recorded on Christmas Day.
In Portland, the chance of a white Christmas through the years 1991-2020 is exactly 37 percent.
As you head up towards the north and mountains, that’s where the chances increase substantially.
The chance of a white Christmas in areas like Rangeley and Jackman are greater than 90 percent.
This year, while an active pattern is still possible through Christmas, a white Christmas in the southern half of the state does not look very likely.
