Will Mid-Hudson Valley Have A White Christmas?

MID-HUDSON VALLEY, NY — Snow is in the forecast through the holiday weekend, but the question is whether the area will technically have a white Christmas.

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather forecast for Columbia, Dutchess and Ulster counties.

The meteorologists said a widespread light snow event is expected Thursday night with light accumulations. This will lead to slippery travel conditions Friday morning.

For the rest of the weekend a pair of systems are expected to bring a wintry mix of precipitation Friday night through the upcoming weekend.

The weather service's forecast for Dutchess and Ulster counties includes overnight snow of less than a half inch after 1 a.m. Friday.

More snow before 10 a.m. Friday is forecast, with an accumulation of less than a half inch expected.

Christmas Day's forecast calls for snow likely before 8 a.m., then a chance of rain, as temperatures climb into the 40s.

According to the weather service, a white Christmas is defined as having 1 inch or more of snow on the ground Christmas morning.

Orange County is also under a hazardous weather outlook, but not until Friday.

A quick moving weak low pressure system will bring the potential for a light coating of snowfall, less than an inch, tonight into early Friday morning in Orange County. Another quick-moving low pressure system will bring a light wintry mix of mainly sleet and freezing rain Friday night into early Saturday morning, before transitioning to rain. These systems may result in hazardous travel conditions during these time periods.

Check out the forecast for Poughkeepsie through the weekend from the National Weather Service:

• Thursday: Mostly sunny, with a high near 36. West wind 8 to 10 mph.
• Thursday Night: Snow likely, mainly after 1am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 27. Calm wind becoming southeast around 5 mph after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Friday: Snow likely, mainly before 10am. Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, with a high near 41. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Friday Night: Snow likely, mainly after 2am. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 29. Calm wind. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.
• Christmas Day: Snow likely before 8am, then a chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 43. Light south wind. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
• Saturday Night: A chance of rain before 5am, then a chance of rain and snow. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 35. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.
• Sunday: A chance of rain and snow before 8am. Partly sunny, with a high near 44. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
• Sunday Night: Partly cloudy, with a low around 25.