When was the last time Philadelphia had a white Christmas?

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If you're dreaming of a white Christmas, keep dreaming…

While a clipper system will bring some wintry precipitation to our area days before Christmas, forecasters say it won't be enough to break the decades-old streak.

When was Philadelphia's last white Christmas?

What we know:

The last White Christmas in Philadelphia was in 2009, when 8 inches of snow remained on the ground from a larger winter storm days earlier. 

When was the last time it snowed on Christmas in Philadelphia?

Local perspective:

To find the last time it actually snowed on Christmas Day in Philadelphia, you'll have to go all the way back to 2002. 

The storm 23-years ago dropped a little more than an inch of snow in Philadelphia and surrounding areas.

What is a white Christmas?

Dig deeper:

A white Christmas is defined by the National Weather Service as a community having at least one inch of snow on the ground during the morning hours of Dec. 25.

On average, only about a third of the Lower 48 has snow on the ground on Christmas Day, but this figure has steadily dropped over recent years.

In 2003, only 18% of the contiguous U.S. had snow on the ground on Christmas Day, but that figure was a remarkable 53% in 2022.

Christmas forecast

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Weather Authority: Monday forecast

FOX 29's Sue Serio has your Monday forecast.

What's next:

The more than two-decades-old streak will continue this year, but a clipper system days before will bring some wintry precipitation to the area.

After a sunny and seasonable Monday, forecasters expect a clipper system on Tuesday to bring flakes to the Lehigh Valley and a wintry mix to Philly.

Temperatures will stay just above freezing in Philadelphia and most surrounding areas, and climb into the 40s by midday. 

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