Winter and a White Christmas in the Grand Valley

 

In a location that averages only 22 inches of snow annually, it’s not surprising that a White Christmas is rare in the Grand Valley. Only 15 Christmases have seen measurable (greater than a trace) new snowfall since 1893 (or, about 14% of the time). Only three of these days recorded more than an inch. Another definition of a White Christmas can mean the presence of snow cover on the ground (with or without snowfall that day). Only 20% of Christmas Days in Grand Junction’s recorded history have seen measurable snow on the ground.

Only 18 days had an inch or more of snow on the ground on Christmas morning.

If the current snow on the ground sticks around, it could be the 4th Christmas to see an inch or more.


The first reported White Christmas since weather records began 114 years ago occurred in 1904, when 2.9 inches of snow fell in Grand Junction.

The most recent White Christmas was 4 years ago, although only a mere 0.1 inches fell. A slightly whiter event occurred in 2000 ago, when 0.7" of new snow was dropped in the pre-dawn hours of December 25, 2000. However, the most memorable Christmas storm in the valley happened back in 1983. Snow began falling around midday on December 23rd of that year, and continued (with minor breaks) through the 27th. Christmas Day 1983 saw 3.5 inches of new snow, with 7 inches on the ground. (The total snowfall for that month totaled 19.0 inches, setting the December record for Grand Junction).
 

The following is a list of the Top 10 greatest snowfall and snow depths recorded in Grand Junction on Christmas Day:
             

Highest Snowfall

  

Greatest Snow Depth
             
1. 3.5" 1983   1. 7" 1983
2. 2.9" 1904   2. 6" 1967/1962
3. 2.2" 1940   3. 4" 1962/1932/1924
4. 0.7" 2000   4. 3" 1978/1963/1961
5. 0.6" 1913   5. 3" 1919/1913
6. 0.5" 1988   6. 2" 1998/1990/1987
7. 0.4" 1943   7. 2" 1972/1968/1954
8. 0.3" 1939   8. 1" 2000/1991
9. 0.2" 1937   9. 1" 1982/1979
10. 0.2" 1922   10. 1" 1957/1940


That coldest Christmas on record for Grand Junction (since 1893) occurred in 1924, when residents awoke to a morning low of -17 degrees. The period from December 24th to December 27th that year saw morning lows ranging from -15 degrees to -21 degrees during each of the four days. Daytime highs rose no higher than 12 degrees. (1924 was the 7th coldest Grand Junction December on record).

The last below zero temperature in Grand Junction was recorded on Christmas Morning, 1998 (-1˚).

The warmest Christmas Day in Grand Junction weather records saw a high temperature of 60˚ in 1970.


Winter Officially Begins
Thursday, December 21, 2006
5:22 pm MST

 


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