WILLMAR -- With just two weeks until Christmas and only a sprinkle of snow showers, folks around these parts are still dreaming of a white Christmas.
The chances of snow on the ground for Christmas are pretty good in west central Minnesota, according to the Minnesota Climatology Working Group, which includes the climatologists from the state, the University of Minnesota and uses data from the National Weather Service. The group has gathered historical weather data from more than 100 Minnesota cities to find out the probability of having a white Christmas, which is defined as 1 inch of snow on the ground.
In Willmar, there is a 70 percent chance of having 1 inch of snow on Christmas. Over in Benson, the chances are 84 percent for 1 inch of the white stuff. Go east or west to Litchfield and Montevideo, and the chances drop to 62 and 68 percent, respectively.
In Redwood Falls, there's a 61 percent chance of snow. and in Olivia, 70 percent of Christmas holidays have been covered with a least an inch of snow.
If your family goes over the hills and through the woods to grandmother's house in northern Minnesota, there's an even better chance for snow on Christmas. Cities like Babbitt, Hoyt Lakes, Park Rapids and Roseau have 100 percent probability of snow on Christmas.
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The snow chances drop in the southwest part of the state. The city of Tyler takes the honors of having the lowest probability of snow on Christmas, only a 56 percent chance. In the southeastern part of the state, snow is already old news after a Nov. 10 storm dumped 12 inches on Albert Lea and eight inches on Mankato.
The outlook for snow, from the University of Minnesota, isn't all that promising. University of Minnesota Climatologist Mark Seeley says the outlook is for a generally warm and dry period and temperatures several degrees warmer than normal.
"Fog may be a common occurrence, and there will be some chance for light drizzle or freezing rain in the northeastern counties, but precipitation chances will be very slight elsewhere, Seeley says in his weekly report, issued on Friday. "Another chance for snow comes by Wednesday."
The National Weather Service five-day forecast for Willmar, Litchfield and Olivia calls for a chance of snow after Tuesday morning and a chance on Wednesday.
