Christmas Day Climatology - Alpena

Here is a look at some Christmas Day weather statistics for Alpena, with data going back to 1916. As can be seen in the data below, there has been a wide spectrum of temperatures and precipitation on Christmas Day in Alpena, but highs have generally been in the 20s/30s and lows in the 20s. It is also somewhat common for Alpena to see measurable snow on Christmas Day. Scroll to the bottom of the page to find out how common a white Christmas is in the Alpena area.

Alpena Christmas Day Climate Extremes (1916-2023):
Warmest High Temperature: 65 degrees (1982)
Coldest High Temperature: 11 degrees (1985)
Coldest Low Temperature: -18 degrees (1985)
Warmest Low Temperature: 39 degrees (1932, 2023)
Most Precipitation: 0.63 inches (2009)
Most Snowfall: 6.0 inches (1918)
Greatest Snow Depth: 22 inches (2008)

Alpena Christmas Day Climate Averages (1916-2023):
Average High Temperature: 30 degrees
Average Low Temperature: 16 degrees
Average Precipitation: 0.05 inches
Average Snowfall: 0.4 inches
Average Snow Depth: 5 inches

Below are graphs showing the frequency distribution of Christmas Day Day high/low temperatures, precipitation, and snowfall for Alpena. Click here for a full listing of Alpena's Christmas Day climate records.

A "white Christmas" is defined as having an inch or more of snow on the ground on Christmas morning. How common is that in the Alpena area? Since snow depth measurements began in Alpena in 1916, the area has experienced a white Christmas 83 times, or about 79% of the time.

The white Christmas probability map below (click for larger version) was created by NOAA's National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI) and incorporates data from observing stations with at least 25 years or more of snow depth measurements during the period 1981-2010.