Christmas Day 2023 will likely be wet, but too warm for snow.
That’s the word from the National Weather Service at Paducah, Ky, who forecast a rainy and warmer than normal day Monday, Christmas Day. At this time, there is a 60 percent chance of rain Christmas morning, but the temperature is expected to climb to about 59 that afternoon. That chance of rain with warmer than average temperatures for this time of the year will continue through Wednesday.
Want to know the warmest Christmas on record for our area? It was 2021 when the high on Christmas day climbed to 74. The next warmest Christmas was in 2016 with a high of 71. It was 70 in 2019 and 69 in 1982. The normal high for our area at Christmas is 44.
The coldest Christmas Days on record are 12 back in 1983. It was only 19 Christmas 1985. The temperature climbed to 25 in 2020.
The warmest lows overnight were 51 in 2015 and 50 in 2021 and 1982. The normal low for Christmas Day is 27. The coldest lows were minus 8 in 2004 and minus 5 in 1983.
The wettest Christmas Day was recorded back in 1987 when almost 4 inches of rain fell over the tri-state.
The snowiest Christmas was 4 inches in 1969. There was a light dusting of snow on the ground last year, 2022 with a high of 23 and an overnight low of 3.
The forecast for this Christmas Day is calling for a 60 percent chance of rain with a high of 59 and an overnight low of 49…..not the conditions needed for a white Christmas.
