Those looking for a "White Christmas" will need to go to the high country along the Continental Divide, where snow...heavy at times, can be expected tonight and through the day on Christmas, ahead of a storm system moving into the Great Basin this evening.  Further east, warm and breezy conditions look to prevail for Chirstmas Day, with highs in the mid 40s to mid 50s across the eastern Plains.  A cold front associated with the passing weather system will move across the Palmer Divide late in the afternoon on Christmas, with the front moving across all of the southeast Plains through Christmas Night. Behind the front, breezy north winds will usher in a much colder airmass to the region for Saturday, which will persist into the rest of the Holiday Weekend. Light snowfall may also fall across the area late Christmas night into early Saturday morning. Another weather system moving across the southern Rockies could bring more snow and strong winds to the southern Sangre de Cristo mountains and the southern I-25 corridor late Saturday night and Sunday. Those planning travels south of the area this weekend, especially across the southern high plains, should stay weather aware. You can keep track of the latest weather forecasts across the area at the following link:  

Graphical Weather Forecast for south central and southeast Colorado 

Wishing for a "white Christmas"? There are many varying definitions pertaining to what exactly is a “White Christmas”. Some definitions use only snowfall data, while others use only snow depth data and yet others which use both data sets to define a “White Christmas”. In the following “Christmas Facts” data, compiled from the Pueblo, Colorado Springs and Alamosa climate records, we have defined a “White Christmas” as greater than 0.5 inches of snow falling on December 25th with at least 1 inch of snow on the ground. In any case, the chances are not very good if you are wishing for a “White Christmas” across much of Southeast Colorado.

Christmas in Colorado Springs 

 SNOWFALL
Record Snowfall: 2.3 inches in 1911
Number of times with a trace or more......19
Number of times with an inch or more.....6
Climatological chance of a trace or more...17%
Climatological chance of an inch or more...5%
SNOW ON THE GROUND
Record Snow on Ground: 7.0 inches in 1982.
Number of times with a trace or more.......29
Number of times with an inch or more......19
Climatological chance of a trace or more....45%
Climatological chance of an inch or more...29%

Snowfall records are in inches, from 1894 to the present.
Snow on the ground is at 5 am from 1948 to the present.
Snow depth records missing for 1996.

The last “White Christmas” was in 1987 when there was an inch of snow throughout the day, along with an inch of snow on the ground in the morning. Before that, the next previous “White Christmas” was in 1976 when there was an inch of snow during the day and an inch of snow on the ground in the morning. Christmas Day 1994 brought an unusual surprise to the north end of Colorado Springs, and the area northward to Castle Rock. At 1206 pm, a 4.0 earthquake rocked the region, shaking houses and buildings with no major damage reported.

 Christmas in Pueblo  

SNOWFALL
Record Snowfall: 5.1 inches in 1987
Number of times with a trace or more......19
Number of times with an inch or more.....7
Climatological chance of a trace or more...15%
Climatological chance of an inch or more...6%
SNOW ON THE GROUND
Record Snow on Ground: 8.0 inches in 2011.
Number of times with a trace or more.......20
Number of times with an inch or more......12
Climatological chance of a trace or more....31%
Climatological chance of an inch or more...19%

The last “White Christmas” occurred in 2000. The snow began falling shortly before midnight Christmas Eve, with only trace amounts reported through the morning hours. The snow began to pick up during the afternoon hours and ended shortly before midnight, with a total snowfall of 1.8 inches. The next previous "White Christmas” occurred in 1987, when there was 1 inch of snow on the ground at 5 am that morning, and a record total of 5.1 inches falling for the day. The last time before that was in 1976. There was 1 inch of snow on the ground that Christmas morning, with an additional 0.6 inches falling that day. Since 1888, there has been only two separate occasions where snow has fallen on consecutive Christmas: in 1911 and 1912, and again in 1941 and 1942.

  Christmas in Alamosa  

 SNOWFALL
Record Snowfall: 3.5 inches in 1942
Number of times with a trace or more.........17
Number of times with an inch or more..........8
Climatological chance of a trace or more.........21%
Climatological chance of an inch or more........10%
SNOW ON THE GROUND
Record Snow on Ground: 10.0 inches in 1991
Number of times with a trace or more............45
Number of times with an inch or more...........36
Climatological chance of a trace or more..........56%
Climatological chance of an inch or more.........45%

Snowfall records are in inches, from 1932 to the present.
Snow on the ground is at 5 am MST
(7 am MST from 1984 - 1991 due to part-time staffing).

The last “White Christmas” was in 2007. There was 6 inches of snow on the ground at 5 am that morning. While no snow fell during the day, it began to fall around sunset with a total of 2 inches falling through the evening. The last time before that was in 1997 when there was six inches of snow on the ground at 5 am that morning, and a total of 1.1 inches falling for the day. The last time before that was in 1987 when there was 3 inches of snow on the ground that Christmas morning, with 2.4 inches falling that day.