White Christmas For Pittsburgh In 2023? See Early Forecasts Here

PITTSBURGH, PA — If you're among the many Western Pennsylvania people dreaming of a white Christmas this year, you'll probably be interested in the initial AccuWeather and Farmers' Almanac prognostications for that prospect in the Pittsburgh area.

But you might not like what they are forecasting at this early juncture with Christmas still more than two weeks away.

State College-based meteorological service AccuWeather has yet to issue its national white Christmas forecast, but meteorologist Paul Pastelok told USA Today that aside from the mountain areas, he doesn’t expect a lot of snow at Christmastime in the East.

The current AccuWeather forecast for Pittsburgh on Christmas Day calls for a high temperature of 46 with a chance of rain.

According to the Old Farmer’s Almanac, there will not be a white Christmas in Pittsburgh and the Ohio Valley.

El Nino might be the Grinch in preventing a snow-covered holiday, some forecasters said. El Niño winters typically have above-normal precipitation, but with warmer-than-normal winter temperatures, it’s not guaranteed to come as snow.

“Weak, moderate, and strong El Niños all share similar features for the month of December,” John Baranik, a meteorologist for DTN, wrote in a blog post on Progressive Farmer earlier this fall. “It is usually very warm for most of the U.S. outside the Southwest where it is typically cooler, while precipitation increases are seen across the southern tier.”

Don't despair over these predictions, though, white Christmas lovers. The forecast will be updated multiple times as the holiday approaches and could be revised significantly before Santa's sleigh arrives on your rooftop.

The fascination with a white Christmas was likely popularized by the writings of Charles Dickens. The depiction of a snow-covered Christmas season in his 1843 classic “A Christmas Carol,” and a number of his other short stories, was reportedly influenced by memories of his childhood.

The song “White Christmas,” written by Irving Berlin and sung by Bing Crosby, is among the best-selling singles of all time. The tune nostalgically speaks of a white Christmas and has since become embedded in American holiday tradition.