Christmas Day Climatology - Traverse City

Here is a look at some Christmas Day weather statistics for Traverse City*, with data going back to 1896. As can be seen in the data below, there has been a wide spectrum of temperatures and precipitation on Christmas Day in Traverse City, but highs have generally been in the 30s and lows in the 20s. It is also somewhat common for Traverse City 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 Traverse City area.

Traverse City Christmas Day Climate Extremes (1896-2023):
Warmest High Temperature: 58 degrees (1982, 2023)
Coldest High Temperature: 7 degrees (1983)
Coldest Low Temperature: -6 degrees (2004)
Warmest Low Temperature: 47 degrees (2023)
Most Precipitation: 0.73 inches (1993)
Most Snowfall: 7.4 inches (1995)
Greatest Snow Depth: 23 inches (1989)

Traverse City Christmas Day Climate Averages (1896-2023):
Average High Temperature: 31 degrees
Average Low Temperature: 19 degrees
Average Precipitation: 0.07 inches
Average Snowfall: 0.8 inches
Average Snow Depth: 5 inches

Below are graphs showing the frequency distribution of Christmas Day Day high/low temperatures, precipitation, and snowfall for Traverse City. Click here for a full listing of Traverse City'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 Traverse City area? Since snow depth measurements began in Traverse City in 1896, the area has experienced a white Christmas 99 times, or about 79% of the time (excluding years with missing snow depth).

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.

*Data for Traverse City is derived from a composite of observations taken at both Cherry Capital Airport and the cooperative observing station at Munson Medical Center. This data is for informational purposes only and does not meet climatological standards. This data set may include periods with missing data.