Has Fresno ever had a white Christmas? Is it possible? Here’s what experts say
There is something magical about a white Christmas.
As fluffy, white snowflakes fall outside your window, you peek to see which presents Santa left under the tree, then bundle up in your coziest coat hat and scarf to spend hours playing in the snow.
Has Fresno ever had a white Christmas? Is it even possible for the region to see snow fall on Dec. 25?
The Fresno Bee asked a weather expert to find out the answer.
Has it ever snowed in Fresno on Christmas Day?
The short answer is “no,” according to Mikal Montgomery, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service’s Hanford office.
“We started to collect precipitation data in the year 1948 in Fresno and have not had a white Christmas from then to present,” Montgomery said.
According to the weather service, a white Christmas is defined as at least 1 inch of snow on the ground on the morning of Christmas Day, Dec. 25.
However, no measurable snowfall has been recorded on the holiday in the Fresno metropolitan area since 1907, Montgomery said, based on local weather data.
Snowfall can be measured when there is at least one-tenth of an inch on the ground, he said
According to Montgomery, parts of Fresno County at higher elevations have experienced a white Christmas in the past — including Cedar Grove, Huntington Lake and Sequoia National Park.
Is a white Christmas possible in Fresno?
“A white Christmas is possible in Fresno,” Montgomery said.
However, he said, a few factors make snow scarce in the Fresno metropolitan area.
The city of Fresno is at a relatively low elevation — 308 feet above sea level, according to the U.S. Geological Survey — which typically translates to warmer temperatures.
The temperature must be 32 degrees or lower for snowflakes to form or snowfall to accumulate, the weather service said.
The average maximum temperature at Fresno Yosemite International Airport for the month of December from 1981 and 2010 was 55.2 degrees, while the average minimum temperature was 38.6 degrees, according to the Western Regional Climate Center.
During warmer weather, snow tends to melt quickly when it falls, Monterey said.
Moisture is also a must for snow, according to Montgomery.
Fresno typically gets rain in December, Montgomery said, averaging a total of 1.79 inches of precipitation for the month.
“In order for it to snow in the Valley, we’d have to have a strong storm move just east of us, originating from the Pacific Northwest, bring in colder air from the Gulf of Alaska and Canada, with enough moisture associated with the system to move over our area,” Montgomery explained.
How close has Fresno come to having a white Christmas?
The Fresno metropolitan area recorded a trace of snow in Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 1916, weather records show.
According to the weather service, Fresno also saw traces of snow on the following dates:
- Dec. 22, 1965
- Dec. 12, 1967
- Dec. 6, 1972
- Dec. 19, 20 and 21, 1990
- Dec. 2, 16 and 19, 1996
- Dec. 11, 2005
- Dec. 15, 2008
Montgomery noted that hail can be classified as snow by weather observers so it’s possible that Fresno actually saw hailstones some of those years — not snowfall.
When has Fresno gotten significant snow?
According to the National Weather Service, Fresno has received snowfall on a total of 47 times since 1907.
In that time there has been measurable snowfall a total of 12 times.
The month with the most instances of measurable snowfall was January with a total of six occurrences.
According to the weather service, the earliest time of year Fresno has seen snowfall is November.
On Nov. 21, 1931, the city reported a trace of snow.
Fresno saw significant amounts of snow in Dec. 20, 1968, when a total of 1.2 inches of snow was recorded.
On Dec. 20, 1998, the city recorded a total of 5 inches of snow.
Where are you most likely to see snow in San Joaquin Valley?
In the San Joaquin Valley, you’re more likely to see snow in areas at higher elevations such as Yosemite National Park.
The highest elevation in Fresno County is North Palisade, which has an elevation of 14,248 feet at its tallest point. It’s the third-highest mountain in the Sierra Nevada.
If you’re craving snowy fun, you can head to designated Sno-Park locations locations that provide “access to snow play areas, cross-country ski and snowmobile trails,” according to the Sierra National forest website.
Fresno County is home to four Sno-Park sites along Highway 168 between Shaver and Huntington lakes: Coyote, Tamarack, Eastwood and Huntington Lake, The Fresno Bee reported in 2019.
On average, the county receives a tenth of an inch of snow each year, according to the Fresno County Film Commission.
Out of all major metropolitan areas in the Valley, Bakersfield has had the most occurrences of snowfall over the years, Montgomery said.
The city has seen snow 28 times since 1937, according to the weather service.
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