December Snow In MA? What Recent History Tells Us

Happy winter! Technically, our 'winter' doesn't start begin until Dec. 21, but the meteorological winter starts today, Dec. 1. That means it's time to start watching for snow.

While a "White Christmas" isn't very likely in Massachusetts on a year-to-year basis, Boston usually sees its first measurable snowfall during December. Snow in December isn't exactly rare, but heavy snow is tough to come by.

Then again, it's Massachusetts. Anything goes. Here are the top 10 snowiest winters in Boston, courtesy of NOAA via NBC Boston's Aaron Perry - you'll notice three of them are in the last 10 years:

1. 1970 - 27.9 inches
2. 2007 - 26.9 inches
3. 1947 - 26.8 inches
4. 2008 - 25.3 inches
5. 1945 - 24.6 inches
6. 1926 - 24.2 inches
7. 1995 - 24.1 inches
8. 1902 - 22.8 inches
9. 2010 - 22 inches
10. 2003 - 21.5 inches

According to currentresults.com, between 1981-2010 we averaged two days of over an inch of snow per December. Meanwhile, on average Boston saw less than a full day per year of more than 3 inches of snow and 0.1 days of more than 10 inches.

Boston received snow on an average of 4.6 days in December for an average of 9 inches.

Two of the 10 snowiest winters in Worcester were recorded in the last 10 years, according to Perry:

1. 1992 - 37 inches
2. 1945 - 33.7 inches
3. 1970 - 32.1 inches
4. 1902 - 32 inches
5. 2008 - 31.4 inches
6. 1969 - 29.5 inches
7. 2007 - 27.1 inches
8. 1947 - 26.3 inches
9. 1922 - 24.7 inches
10. 1981 - 24.6 inches

It's strange to think about with our traditional Christmas mindset, but there usually isn't even snow on the ground for more than 25 days of the month. December only sees at least an inch of snow on the ground for roughly 4-1/2 days per year, according to currentresults.com.

The averages don't tell the whole story, though. For instance, Boston's snowfall during the winters of 2016 and 2014 combined was less than the 108.6 inches it received during 2015. In 2012, the city saw barely a foot of the white stuff.

So what about this December? The Farmers' Almanac warned of a "snowier-than-normal" winter in Massachusetts. AccuWeather also made the bold prediction of snow, cold and ice.

All we know now for sure is that forecasts are calling for serious cold - and the potential for some storm action - in the next two weeks. But as far as a major snow event? Recent history tells us not to bank on it.

Photo by Osman Rana on Unsplash