It’s the weather/holiday gold standard: a white Christmas, just like the ones we used to know. Bing loved them, they’re in every Christmas movie, and what perfect holiday dreams are made of. With an uptick of December snow around Albany, you’d think the Capital Region would surely be in for a Crosby-worthy Christmas this year.

Throw in an approaching blast of Arctic air via Bomb Cyclone, and snow should be a shoe-in, right? But for those dreaming of a white Christmas in Upstate, one thing could be standing in our way on Friday.

The Definition Of White Christmas

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Did you know the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association has a true scientific definition of a white Christmas? There has to be one inch or more of snow on the ground at 8am on December 25th, so no, a dusting doesn’t count.

New York is one of the states most likely to see a white Christmas each year, along with our regional neighbors Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine. Somehow, Idaho has the best odds of a white Christmas in America.

Average white Christmas chances per CNN
CNN/NOAA
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On Thursday, we’ll have enough moisture in the air to get possibly an inch of snow. On Friday, things will get crazy as polar air kicks down our door. Here are the two most likely options – and one of them will make for a very white Christmas.

Why Friday Might Ruin A White Christmas

Rain on an evergreen
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The record high for December 23 in Albany is 64 degrees. We’ll hit well below that, but still get up to an Accuweather predicted high of 49 on Friday. That’s that warmest temperature the Capital Region has had for a few weeks. A temperature that high should shift any snow to rain, and also thaw what’s on the ground.

The real danger comes when Arctic air arrives Friday night, dropping the temperature almost 40 degrees. All that rain could make ice on the roads. Combine that with heavy winds, and that will give many a nasty time traveling on Christmas Eve.

Why Friday Could Save A White Christmas

Temp predictions for Christmas Day 2022
Accuweather
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The polar air that’s bringing that 10-degree temperature with it is causing chaos with predicted forecasts. At first it was a Polar Vortex, but in the past two days it’s morphed into a Bomb Cyclone, bringing unexpected, massive blizzards to the Central US.

Chances of snow from December 2022 Bomb Cyclone
Accuweather
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The predicted high for Friday has already dropped around ten degrees since Monday. If this trend keeps up, any rain coming through on Friday could turn to snow, in which case Albany could see a lot. Any snow Friday would likely last into Sunday and give the Capital Region a white Christmas.

Albany's Top 10 Snowiest Winters Of All Time [RANKED]

How much snow would it actually take to make it an all-time winter when it comes to big snowfall total for the season? In the average winter, the National Weather Service (NWS) says we get 59.2 inches of snow in Albany. Here is the top 10 list of the snowiest Albany winters on record.

Gallery Credit: Matty Jeff

Albany's 10 Least Snowy Winters Of All Time

Some winters in Upstate New York can be absolutely brutal as far as massive amounts of snow. Then there are times like this winter when it feels like the snow is pretty much non-existent. It wouldn't be the first time! Here are the 10 least snowy winters of all time according to the National Weather Service of Albany

Gallery Credit: Matty Jeff

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