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‘Festive Dusting’ Likely To Occur Before Santa Lands, Christmas Forecasted To Be Cold and Sunny

By Jesse Wood

Dec. 23, 2013. Although seasonal temps return to the High Country on Monday, the likelihood of a white Christmas is bleak, according to Patrick Wilson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.

With Christmas Day expected to be clear and sunny with a high of 37 in Boone, Wilson added that flurries on Christmas Eve are a possibility in the higher elevations. He added that Beech Mountain may receive, at the most, one inch of snow.

“It’s not looking good unless you are just hoping to see flurries on Christmas Eve,” Wilson said. 

Ray’s Weather forecasted similarly, noting that “easy flying” conditions will exist for Santa on Tuesday night in Boone.

“Flurries will be around the first half of Tuesday with the higher elevations and westward facing slopes seeing more snow shower activity,” Ray’s Weather notes. “A festive dusting is likely for our ‘usual suspects’ before sunshine takes over and clear skies become the theme for a while. Plenty of cold to go around just in time for Santa!”

David Still, a meteorologist with Ray’s Weather, who mentioned that a white Christmas is classified by meteorologists as having more than an inch of snow on the ground, noted that “chances [of a white Christmas] are very small” for elevations above 4,500 feet. 

“It will feel festive for sure and look festive in places but we are not forecasting a white Christmas,” still said.

Looking out into the week, sunshine and moderate temperatures – highs in the 40s and lows in the 20s – exist for the Thursday and Friday after Christmas.

“It will be the most weather friendly weekend we’ve seen since Thanksgiving, enjoy!” Ray’s Weather exclaimed on its forecast discussion.