Snow Graces New York City After Over a Decade
For the first time since 2009, New York City residents woke up to a white Christmas, marking a rare weather event after 15 years. According to the National Weather Service, a white Christmas requires at least one inch of snow on the ground at 7 a.m. on Christmas morning. Central Park met this criterion on Wednesday morning after snow from Tuesday night remained unmelted, leaving an inch on the ground. The city’s last white Christmas saw two inches of snow blanketing the area.
The snowfall wasn’t just a treat for locals but also for visitors like Nebraska’s football team, who enjoyed a playful snowball fight in Central Park ahead of their Pinstripe Bowl game at Yankee Stadium. Similarly, Boston celebrated its own white Christmas this year, with an impressive four inches of snow recorded. Forecasters predict most of this snow will linger due to colder-than-normal temperatures through Thursday, though warmer weather is expected to return by the weekend.
West Coast Faces Intense Winter Storms
While the East Coast experienced a festive snowfall, the West Coast grappled with relentless winter storms. Oregon and Washington bore the brunt of severe weather, including wind gusts up to 65 mph on Christmas Day. Torrential rain raised concerns about river flooding in parts of western Washington and Oregon, with projections of six to 12 inches of rain over the next five days.
Mountain regions like Washington’s Cascade Mountains were under a winter storm warning, with forecasts of up to three feet of snow within 36 hours. Similarly, the northern Rockies, including Wyoming and Idaho, faced a winter storm watch with predictions of up to two feet of snow in the coming days. Although California’s massive waves—previously peaking at 40 to 60 feet—have diminished, the state could still experience 20- to 30-foot waves through Thursday.
Severe Weather Threat Looms Over the South
As snowstorms and flooding dominated the northern and western parts of the U.S., the South prepared for a different kind of severe weather. A new round of storms on Thursday threatened areas including Dallas, Houston, and Shreveport, Louisiana, with tornadoes, hail, and damaging winds. Flash flooding was also a significant concern for the region.
While New Yorkers reveled in their snowy holiday, other parts of the country faced a stark contrast, showcasing the diverse and extreme weather patterns across the United States this Christmas season.
