Floridians who want a white Christmas: Here's where you can go to see snow on Christmas Day

Lianna Norman, USA TODAY NETWORK - Florida
Updated ·2 min read

In a recent survey from FloridaBet.com, 32% of Floridians that responded said they’re dreaming of a white Christmas; even though they know that in the Sunshine State, there’s a better chance of seeing reindeer than snow in the sky.

FloridaBet analyzed Climate.gov weather data from 1991 through 2020 to find how many times each state got at least 1 inch of snow on Dec. 25 and found the probability of a white Christmas for each state.

Unsurprisingly, Florida has a 0.0% chance of seeing snow on Christmas, according to Climate.gov’s data.

If making a sandy "snow" man or watching surfing Santas doesn't sound Christmas-y enough to you, here are the closest states with a chance at having a white Christmas.

What states will have a white Christmas?

Based on the data FloridaBet collected, there are 12 states with a more than 50% chance of having a white Christmas this year.

New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Wyoming, South Dakota, North Dakota, Idaho, Montana, Maine and Alaska all have between a 50% and 85% chance of seeing snow on Christmas Day.

Will there be a white Christmas anywhere near Florida?

The closest state to Florida with an almost 50% chance of seeing snow on Christmas is Tennessee, where there the odds of a white Christmas is 48.5%.

The only state close to Florida with more than a 1% chance of a snowy Christmas is North Carolina, with a 3.1% probability of seeing snow statewide.

Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia and South Carolina all have less than a 1% chance of seeing snow statewide on Christmas morning.

Here are a few towns near Florida where there will be some chance of seeing snow on Christmas:

  • Mount Le Conte, Tennessee, 48.6%

  • Caesars Head, South Carolina, 7.5%

  • Sautee, Georgia, 4.5%

  • Valley Head, Alabama, 1.6%

Has Florida ever had a white Christmas?

In 2022, it didn’t snow on Christmas, but some Floridians in Brevard County did wake up to white yards covered in sleet. Some people even reported stray flurries floating through the air.

The most recent time Florida was dusted with measurable snow on Christmas Day was in Jacksonville in 1989. Jacksonville Beach recorded 2.5 inches that day, while one inch fell near Jacksonville's Naval Air Station.

Is Snowcat Ridge real snow?

If you don’t want to wait for Florida’s next freak snowstorm or travel to another state to see snow this month, you can always go to Snowcat Ridge.

Snowcat Ridge is Florida’s only snow park, located in Dade City. Snowcat Ridge does use real snow, which according to their website, takes a lot of magic to make happen.

At Snowcat Ridge, you can ice skate, snow tube, play in the snow and more. The park is open until Feb. 25, 2024.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Florida residents' best options for a white Christmas in 2023