White Christmas unlikely for the Outer Banks in 2023

Despite chilly temperatures that will linger for the next several days, a dusting of Christmas snow is highly unlikely for the Outer Banks in 2023, per an update from the National Weather Service (NWS) Newport/Morehead City office.

“For those hoping for a white Christmas this year, we are not bearing any gifts here at NWS Newport/Morehead City,” stated the NWS in an online update. “Not only are the climatological chances of a white Christmas low, but the way the forecast is trending, we will be warm and dry on Christmas this year as well.”

While snowfall is extremely rare on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands, (with less than a 10% chance of a white Christmas year after year), it is certainly not unheard of.

The most famous holiday snowfall in the past few decades is arguably the Christmas Blizzard of 1989, (which brought 13.3 inches of snow from December 23 through Christmas Day), although virtually every year brings flurries or a light dusting of snow to the Outer Banks.

2018 had a New Year’s “Snowicane,” with soundside flooding, wind gusts in excess of 60 mph, and roughly three inches of accumulating snowfall, and more recently, accumulating snow was recorded at varying times in both January 2021 and January 2020.

This year, however, temperatures are expected to be in the 60s, with dry weather conditions on Christmas Day.

For more information on the local forecast, which includes the Christmas Day forecast, visit www.weather.gov/mhx, or the NWS Newport/Morehead City’s Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/NWSMoreheadCity/.